


Save Me Heal Me

by Eiichi



Category: Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Blood and Injury, Canon-Typical Violence, Comfort, Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Healthy Relationships, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Near Death Experiences, Other, References to Depression
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:54:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 27,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22318942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eiichi/pseuds/Eiichi
Summary: Six months after the Life Foundation incident, their lifes were as normal as can be, when their every day routine was yet to be messed up simply by knowing Eddie Brock.But this time things changed, at least for Dan. Treating Eddie after a fatal crash, he comes to realize that Eddie is more than the ex of his girlfriend.(Author's note: in the beginning of the ff Anne and Dan are still in a relationship but in the middle of their breakup. This is why I didn't mention the pair up in the tags.)
Relationships: Eddie Brock/Dan Lewis, Eddie Brock/Dan Lewis/Venom Symbiote, Eddie Brock/Venom Symbiote
Comments: 52
Kudos: 205





	1. Chapter 1

Dan was on his way home from work. He rarely took the car, because the traffic was horrible most of the time and he didn’t mind to ride the short distance with his bicycle. This morning had been freezing cold outside and he had planned to do some groceries, so the car was much more comfortable.

“Yes, I’ve got everything on your list, Annie,” He answered smiling and turned left from the parking lot of the supermarket and pulled over to the main street, “I’ll be there in about 15 minutes, if the traffic will allow it.”

“Great, please take care,” She said, he could hear her smile over the speaking tool of his car. “Alwa-“

Suddenly something crashed right on the engine hood of the car, making him hit the break before he even realized it. He got to a sudden halt, staring at the dark figure lying on his vehicle right before his front window. “Dan? Dan, is everything okay? Please answer? Dan?”

“I- uh… I’m alright. Something fell on my car. I’ll call you in a minute.”

He ended the call and turned on the warning signals, so that no one would crash into him. He could consider himself lucky that there was nearly no traffic at this time anyway. Slowly he got out and felt how his knees shook. He quickly checked himself but he didn’t seem to have any damage except for maybe a bit of a shock. Where had this been coming from anyway? He looked up and saw the shadow of a person in front of the broken window quickly disappearing from sight. Weird.

As he surrounded his car, he stared at the figure. It was no other than Eddie Brock, lying on his side, curled in on himself, covering his face with one arm and the chest with another. “Eddie!” He quickly got to him and carefully lowered one arm to have a better look on his face. He was unconscious. It was a wonder he was alive at all, falling out of a window on the 9th floor. He was surrounded and covered by shattered glass and it was safe to say that his car was beyond repair too.

For a second Dan panicked. This was his friend, bleeding, probably with several broken bones… possibly dying. But then his well-trained instincts kicked in, he took a deep breath. “Oh god!! We gotta get him off the car,” A lady shouted from the sidewalk.

"No! That could actually kill him, we don't know how far the damage goes. We need to wait until the ambulance arrives.” Dan said while feeling Eddie’s pulse. He was definitely alive but barely. "What, are you a doctor?" The lady asked in a sarcastic voice. He didn't mind. "Yes, I'm a surgeon. We can't move him so much without the equipment to stabilize his body."

Studying the body, Dan’s eyes fell to the hand pressed against Eddie's chest. Between the fingers he saw some weird shadows. Not shadows but… darn…

Quickly he got out of his jacket and put it over Eddie. When he got it mostly out of sight, he carefully pulled at Eddie's hand to reveal the black gooey alien. Thin threads on fingers and chest connected it to his host. When revealed the mass began to shiver and spike in defense. Dan had to fight every instinct to just turn and run. “Shh… you know me, I’m Dan, remember? I want to help you,” He whispered. Hopefully their last memory of each other was not the same, because the last he saw of the symbiote was moments after same had tried to choke him. Like Annie he had thought the alien had died in the rocket crash, just like Eddie had told them.

"I won't hurt you… but you have to go back so no one sees you. Can you do this?" He asked the alien that was half-bonded with Eddie at the moment. The spikes disappeared, a smaller and weaker ripple shook the black body and it seemed to pull itself more into the body of his friend. Still there was too much to be seen so he just wrapped the jacket closer around them.

"Don't worry, Eddie, I'm here… you'll be okay. This will keep you warm" He tried to comfort the unconscious man before him. Probably himself too. There was nothing much he could do at the moment, he had heard someone calling an ambulance and probably the police too. He took Eddie’s free hand and held it in his own, stroking the red, wet strands of his hair out of the face. Eddie was barely breathing, shivering like crazy and he seemed to be in severe pain. Only logical, Dan thought. No human would be able to survive such a fall.

A siren came closer fast and he saw the lights from the distance already. As it came closer he saw it was one of their teams. Good. He stepped up to the paramedic and recognized it was a friend of him. “Dan! Gosh, I thought you were at home already. What happened?” Dan greeted him and nodded towards his car. “A friend of mine… It seems my car catched most of his fall, he’s alive but severely wounded.”

“From where did he-,“ The paramedic looked up and saw the broken window, “wait, HOW did he survive this?”

“Like I said, I believe the car catched him just in time. Hey, can you do me a favour? I know him and he’s…” He came a step closer, talking quieter now, “He’s getting panic attacks really fast. I think it would be better if a person he knows is with him, should he wake up. Can I come with you and treat him? He doesn’t want to be touched by others, I don’t want him to be more stressed than necessary.”

His friend seemed to think about it, but then he nodded. “I’ll drive on the passenger seat and give you privacy. You got him?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Together they carefully pulled Eddie from the car, and put him on a stretcher. From the first overview it was clear that Eddie had several broken bones, bruises, deep cuts and some torn clothing that looked like bullet holes. Beneath was no wound to be found, so he guessed Venom had been able to heal them before their fall. 

He didn't quite understand how the symbiote worked, Eddie had talked a bit about it, but never went into details. He just hoped, he was able to hide the symbiote under his jacket for long enough. He quickly gave his information to the police officer that was checking the scene, so that they could transport his car and find him for further questions.

Eddie looked as pale as Dan had never seen him before, even when the symbiote had been literally eating his organs, he had looked healthier. "Don't you dare to die on me."

The paramedics got into the front of the car, closing the window in between, so they had their privacy, while Dan got to work. It had been a while since he had las been on ambulance duty, now he was mostly in the hospital and surgery, rarely in other states to help people with his expertise.

The symbiote rested on Eddie's chest, still holding his hand do cover it from sight, tendrils sliding alongside his fingers. It almost looked like the alien tried to comfort Eddie. The journalist still looked like in immense pain but didn't seem to wake up anytime soon.

While he was cleaning the wounds off glass and blood and got an overview of the whole damage, he was more and more in wonder how Eddie was still alive.

He did his best to fix his body so he was prepared for the surgery to follow, before he realised… Eddie would need a MRI beforehand… last time the symbiote had tried to kill him…

Nervousness took over when he looked down the needle in his hands that was connected to the saline bag over a thin transparent tube. "Listen, this is probably going to hurt. But Eddie needs it okay? It will help him against dehydration and infection. And I'll add some pain reliever, so… could you maybe… not fight me?"

He didn't even know if Venom heard him, but he was not keen on being on the receiving end of the aliens anger. He carefully placed the needle and saw the symbiote slythering some tendrils into his direction down Eddie's arm. With a quick and trained movement he broke Eddie's skin and fixed the needle with a piece of tape so it wouldn't fall out. Even though Eddie clearly was reacting to the pain, he didn't even flinch at the needle.

Dan wondered if Venom was able to block the sensation. He continued to take care of the wounds when he suddenly heard the driver curse. A look out of the window showed him, that there was another car, driving dangerously close. They were on a landly street where even in primetime there was not much traffic. The car came closer and shoved the ambulance car for a few seconds before falling back again. It became faster and now drove next to the ambulance, out of sight for Dan. 

Before he could react, the ambulance drove off street, losing control and crashed against a tree. Dan was thrown next to the stretcher, the equipment flew out if the opened cabinets. He quickly set up and saw that the belts that had secured Eddie to the stretcher were still intact, but now the other was awake, trying to sit up.

"No, Eddie, stay down, you're-" His words cut off when Eddie turned to look at him. His eyes were pitch black.

"You stay down. Act unconscious."

"Eddie-"

"You have no reason to trust us. We're trying to save you." Eddie said, a dark tone colouring his voice. Dan stared at him but before he could think about anything to answer, he heard someone in front of the doors. "Act unconscious," Eddie repeat, before passing out again.

Dan didn't know what to do, everything in him told him, he needed to protect his friend and patient. But he was also scared. Those people were dangerous!

He closed his eyes and lays back against one of the cabinets. The door was forced open and two guys came in. "We should shoot him right now!"

"Are you an idiot? Take him outside, we shouldn't risk all the evidence here." "Then outside, smart-ass."

Dan heard them come closer and had to force himself to stay calm.

"What about that doctor?" "He's out cold, ignore him. He didn't see our faces and the others are dead anyway."

A cold shiver ran over Dan's spine. He heard the metal clips of the straps click open and fall down against the metal frame of the stretcher. "A little help here? That guy's heavy as fuck," one of the goons asked and they pulled Eddie off the stretcher. A loud noise indicated Eddie's fall down to the floor of the vehicle before being pulled outside.

Dan risked a look and saw the unconscious journalist being pulled out on his legs, again falling to the ground. He had to do something, he couldn't let them shoot Eddie! He grabbed a long metal rod that had been broken out of a cabinet lying on the floor next to him and slowly got up. His knees shivered. From the crash out of fear he didn't know. He quietly moved, trying not to alarm them. Suddenly he heard a loud breaking sound.

"Oh shit! Do something! AHRGH-" 

The strangled scream made Dan jump up. He stood on the edge of the vehicle and stared at the scene. 

A black huge monster he only knew from the news shortly after the Life Foundation incident stood there, holding one of them about two feet up in the air, opening his huge maw. With one quick movement and the most disgusting sound he'd ever heard, it bit off his head and dropped the body to the other headless figure. 

With a loud growl he turned around to Dan, who didn't even have the guts to scream at this point. "Y-you killed them… y-you didn't need to kill them!!" Dan stuttered and fell on his butt when the beast came closer. He couldn't begin to progress what had happened.

 **"Fuel in the tank. Need the energy to keep Eddie alive. Didn't buy much time, we need to get home,"** The alien said before asking, **"Can you safe him?"** It probably noticed him flinching back with every step and stopped, didn't move any closer.

"Yes… I'm trying to! He's my friend…" Dan looked to the broken insides of the ambulance. "We need to get out of here. I can call Annie to pick us up and pack some things…"

 **"No. Pack things, we will bring us to our apartment. No need to worry Anne."**

Dan stared at the huge opal eyes then nodded. He turned and grabbed whatever he could, before getting out of the car again. The headless bodies were gone, but he told himself, he didn't need to know details.

The alien stepped closer but stopped, when Dan flinched again. **"Not going to hurt you. We promise."**

It seemed to wait for his consent and he bit his lower lip, before nodding real quickly.

"Okay... okay… you're still with him, he must trust you…"

Before he could say another word, he was grabbed by the alien and held close. He tried to hold himself and was surprised that the slimey and shiny looking skin was not moist but a bit rubbery. It was as dense as skin but the texture was different. 

He could feel the muscles in his back as Venom moved with a dangerous speed. It took less than five minutes before they fell through Eddie's open apartment window and crashed on the floor. Dan was able to catch his fall but when he looked next to him, Eddie had collapsed to the floor, unconscious again, the last hints of black sinking into his skin.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie is waking up, but Dan and Venom are already there to take care of him.

The first thing he noticed was pain. He couldn't remember ever feeling so much pain in his life, but remembering was hard anyway if your head was constantly feeling like under a truck.

Suddenly he was being pulled out of the rollercoaster of pain by a soft and warm sensation. It took a minute to realize it came from a hand on his forehead. Slowly he began to be more aware of his surroundings. Someone was touching his forehead and it felt so good. He felt like freezing, but the hand was comfortably warm. He was lying in a bed and his literal everything hurt.  **We’re sorry.**

Concentrating enough to remember why he was in so much pain was impossible, so he tried to just relax and let his senses slowly get a grasp on what was happening right now. He heard someone talking. That voice- was it Dan?  **Yes.**

“What do you mean they called you because of the car? There was a cop who said, they’d get it to the closest service station and call me afterwards. Where did they find it?” Eddie could hear Dan sigh. “Anne, listen, I didn’t crash into a tree. I don’t know why the car was- no, I’m okay, I promise. I can’t say what’s going on yet, but- No… I don’t know, okay?” There was a pause in which the other line – probably Anne – was answering. Dan sighted again, almost annoyed this time? Eddie never had heard him annoyed before. “No, no you shouldn’t come over. Why? Eddie’s badly hurt, he’s still unconscious. Having so many people around could stress him. You can come over when he woke up and gave his consent.” After another short break Dan said goodbye and put his phone on the nightstand to Eddie’s right. He heard him pull a chair closer to the bed and sit down on it.

Then nothing happened. Dan probably watched over him or slept or looked out of the window, none of them were really interesting choices. But Eddie couldn’t hear him do anything else. Another wave of pain washed over him, making him groan as he tried to move away from the pain. Maybe a change in position would help?  **Eddie, no!** Before he managed to move much, two strong hands pushed him gently back into the mattress.

“Eddie? Are you awake?” Dan asked right above him without pressure or urge, still holding him down.. “Mhmm…” He tried to answer, but more than that was not possible. „It’s okay… But you need to stay down for a bit longer. Can you do that?” Eddie tried to nod, but his head only hurt more. A warm hand was placed on his cheek and his tense muscles automatically relaxed a bit.

“Breathe with me, mh? In… and out… I’ll get you some water. But stay down, okay?”

Eddie nodded, trying to follow Dan’s orders. The doctor had been right, he did feel stressed already. The pain, his whole body felt like falling apart. And Venom’s voice in his head was uncomfortably loud suddenly. He only knew this strange feeling when he was in the middle of a panic attack and Venom wouldn’t stop talking in his head. The symbiote had already learnt that he’d best comfort him in such a situation by talking aloud.

Dan was next to him after no longer than a minute, Eddie had barely managed to open his eyes again. “I’ll help you sit upright, don’t try to tense too much. And don’t try to sit up on your own. I absolutely got you, okay?” There was no way lean and tender Dan would be able to hold him for long, Eddie thought, but he only nodded. To his surprise, the doctor managed to lift his upper body to a sitting position without trouble.  **Dan’s pretty strong.** Eddie had to admit that this was true. Just like Dan had said, he didn’t help much, his body was supported by Dan only. He slowly drank the water offered.

Dan’s presence managed to calm him down and distract him for a moment. Enough for him to think clear. He remembered fire, panic, ultimately jumping through the glass window, the glass cutting him everywhere like a thousand knives. And then… he fell. He had thought, Venom would be able to transform them and jump up some roof to flee the situation. He had believed, the symbiote would just take over for them, so Eddie wouldn’t have to see the height, like usually. But he remembered falling, seeing how the streets came closer really fast and the sudden awareness, that Venom was not able to catch them this time. His whole body began to shiver, when he jerked up in a sitting position, barely able to breathe with the sudden panic attack. Dan tried to hold him back, but only managed to make him panic even more. “Eddie… Eddie, it’s okay. You’re here with me. You’re home. Open your eyes.”

Eddie shook his head, he still felt like falling. Didn’t want to see how close the street was already. Tears ran down his cheeks, while his hands tried to grasp the first thing near them. He didn’t notice how he almost tore Dan’s pullover while holding himself. But he felt arms wrapped around his shoulders, how he was pulled into a tight hug. It almost felt like Venom was finally taking over, except it didn’t feel like it at all. He dared to open his eyes, finding himself in his very own bedroom, half sitting on Dan’s lap and holding himself like he’d drown any minute.

He didn’t know how long they were sitting there like this.  **About twenty minutes… feeling better?** He was not. He felt horrible. Why couldn’t he just pass out from the pain? The exhaustion from the panic attack took over and his tense muscles felt sore suddenly. Dan was still rubbing his back, telling him how everything was alright and he was safe now.

The deep and rumbling voice he usually loved so much only made his headache worse. Eddie wanted to tell him to shut up, but they had to keep Venom’s presence a secret! Dan couldn’t know.  **Already knows.**

“W-what?” Eddie whispered surprised. **Dan knows.** **We had to save both of you from being shot.** “W-wait what exactly happened while I had been unconscious?” He asked. His throat felt sore and it hurt speaking. Dan seemed to notice, because he pushed up Eddie’s chin to check his throat. “You fell on the engine hood of my car. I called an ambulance to get you to a hospital but that ambulance was pushed off the road by another car. After that crash, you told me to stay down and act unconscious, when two guys came in and pulled you outside. I didn’t exactly see what happened next, but… those two guys are taken care off and Venom got us both home. You were still unconscious and Venom was too weak to talk much, so I got you in the bed and took care of your wounds. But now you really should lie down and rest a bit.”

Eddie slightly shook his head. He couldn’t lie down, he already knew that his panic would rise up again. Black tendrils oozed out of his back, rubbing his arms up and down in a calming motion. “That’s okay with me. Just try to relax and breathe,” Dan said and didn’t stop holding him, even if he slightly moved away from the tendrils.

“How are you such a good doctor with such warm hands,” Eddie mumbled and his head felt so heavy. He leaned forward, until his forehead rested on Dan’s shoulder, “Even your handwriting is amazing…” The other man laughed a bit. “Thank you for thinking I’m good at this. When it comes to you and the symbiote there’s really nothing like in the books.”

Dan sighted and continued. “I asked Venom to take care of the inner damage first, organs and any brain injuries. Your leg is really badly burnt, it almost goes down to the muscle, it seems there is nothing venom can do about it. I already cleaned it but I think you got some acid on there...The cuts from the glass window are stitched up and will have to heal on their own, until Venom was able to fix all the broken bones”

**“Still at it.”** Venom said aloud. Eddie barely felt him stretching his head up, which worried him even more. The attack before the fall had weakened their bond in the core.  **“Sorry, Eddie.”** Venom rubbed his head against his cheek, reminding him of a cat. He cracked an eye open to look down at him. “We’re still alive. Thanks to you…” He said.

**“Not true… you jumped.”** “Please don’t mention it…”  **“Why not? So brave! It was 9 floors and you still-“**

Eddie felt another panic attack incoming, being reminded of the fall, when Dan shushed Venom. “Don’t think about it. You’re safe now and in a day or two you’ll be as good as new.” Dan promised. “How’s your car… I heard you talking about it crashing against a tree?” Eddie asked while moving away from Dan, ready to lie down again. Dan supported his weight until Eddie was actually lying and then turned to take something from the nightstand.

“The car’s probably trash, but I’m insured, so don’t worry. Before I got into the ambulance with you, some cop told me he’d bring it to a service station and talk to me in the hospital… in hindsight he didn’t even take my personal information. He just wanted to know into which hospital we’d bring you.”

**“That cop was clearly corrupt,”** Venom said and continued to rub Eddie’s arms while his head rested on the pillow next to Eddie’s.

“Yeah, maybe… I thought so too. They found the car somewhere near a wood, crashed against a tree. Unfortunately they called my home number, so now Anne knows about you being injured. I told her not to visit you, unless you give your okay.” “Thank you so much… man, Dan, how can I ever repay you? I mean… I destroyed your car! What if you would have reacted differently? You could have crashed somewhere else. I could have landed on the cabin part, either way you could have been killed!”

“Eddie, you worry too much. None of it happened, I’m not injured, I already checked. Just a bit of a shock I guess, but I’m really just happy you are still alive. The injuries looked really bad, I believe you had been shot before the fall even! But those were already healed the time I got to check you first.”

Eddie could only stare at him. “How are you even okay with all of this? Are you even human?” He asked, but got distracted by Venom suddenly jerking up from the pillow and Eddie felt an overwhelming excitement. Dan was unwrapping a huge bar of chocolate. Eddie always had some at home, but never this brand!

“Oh, I think I am human… just a very patient one. And you’re my best friend, of course I help you!” He separated one row and gave it to Venom, who immediately took it with his tendrils. Usually he’d just take it with the tongue or eat it directly out of Eddie’s hand, but maybe he didn’t want to scare Dan? Talking about…

“So… do you want to talk about it? About… Venom being still there?”

Dan looked at him and the usually so open and readable eyes suddenly held no information at all. “Well… I am upset, that you lied. But I try to tell myself that you thought you’d protect Anne and me. Because if you kept it a secret thinking that we would simply not accept it. Force you to get rid of him… then I’d be really hurt.”

The honesty almost hurt more than if Dan would have just shouted at him. “I really thought he was dead… I couldn’t feel him at all and he was too weak to speak up. It almost took him a month to be strong enough to give me the first signs,” Eddie said and looked up the ceiling, “I was… not sure if there were still people from Life Foundation who would be watching me. So the not risking your lives again was definitely a reason. But I also didn’t know if you’d accept it. Especially your last encounter with Venom was not really a good one and I’d totally get you being scared of him. Of… me… but I-“

Eddie bit his lower lip and turned his head away from Dan.

“I didn’t have had friends for a long while… and I never had a friend like you. I guess, I was scared of losing that again. I’m sorry for not trusting you more in this.”

Dan got up from his chair and Eddie almost thought, he was upset and leaving. Instead Dan only pulled the covers higher and felt his temperature once more. “Don’t worry. I understand it. You didn’t only want to protect us, but also him. Whenever we talked about Venom, you had this look… Of course I’m a bit intimidated by Venom, but… you trust him. Enough to let him stay with you. When you’re better, I want to know more about your bond! But now you really should sleep. I’ll stay overnight, if that’s okay for you, I already told Anne. Is it okay for you, if I use your kitchen?”

It was indeed getting super late. Dan probably had been on his way home and not even had dinner!

“Sure, but… I don’t have much on me except for Venom’s chocolate storage. But there are a few pizza places that still deliver around this time.”

“Great, I’ll order for us,” Dan said and left the room. Eddie closed his eyes and tried to relax a bit. It would take at least half an hour.  **“We’ll have most of your bones fixed by then. But you shouldn’t walk around too much,”** Venom informed him and curled some tendrils around Eddie’s hips in a hug. Eddie lifted an arm and started to caress the black skin. “How are you feeling?” He asked his partner. Venom purred, head resting on his shoulder, eyes only thin lines. He almost looked like one of those plush toy snakes.

Eddie already got used to that by now. Venom said, the way he found it cute caused his brain to produce more good chemicals that would benefit them both. The intimidating look was reserved to crocks and bad guys.  **“Feeling exhausted. Those weapons hurt a lot.”**

“I know… I’m happy they were not able to kill you. But our bond is hurt too… Will it heal?”  **“In time, yes. There are more urgent things to fix at the moment. Like Dan said, the bruises and cuts will have to heal on their own, we’re concentrating on making you mobile, and then we have to heal ourselves first.”**

“Yeah, do that. Thank you so much.” Eddie kissed the top of Venom’s head and sighted. He was still trying to figure out what went wrong in that building, but couldn’t allow himself to think too much about it, otherwise he’d probably drive right into another panic attack. He was still on the edge too much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's definitely a lot less action than in the first chapter, but for now our boys have to heal first! 
> 
> Any ideas, opinions or questions? Lemme know in the comments! See you next week~


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie still needs to recover from the fall on Dan's car. But the surgeon is more than happy to take care of him. Also Venom and Dan get to know each other.

Eddie couldn’t exactly remember much of the first night after the crash on Dan’s car. He rarely slept so deep, usually he’d wake up from anything. Apart from Venom watching shows or playing on the console or his smartphone. Somehow he had managed to get used to this.

Dan had insisted on staying overnight and taking care of him. He had called in sick after the accident and had informed Anne as well. His ex-fiancé had taken up to the opportunity to have Dan put on the speaker so she could talk to Eddie herself, but Dan had quickly ended it, so Eddie could get some more rest. Eddie couldn’t shake the feeling that the way they had talked to each other on the phone had been weird.

Most of the day after he was not allowed to get up yet and so he just slept the day away, until Dan came in, asking what they wanted for dinner. Eddie didn’t feel hungry at all, but Venom was starving.

**Pizza!** Eddie tried not to flinch at the sudden loud voice. “How about… Pizza?” “Again?” Dan asked amused as he sat down next to him to check the wounds and clean the burnt leg. “Mh, I’m actually pretty hungry… After I couldn’t eat anything yesterday and the whole flat still smells like pizza… But I go for whatever our doctor recommends.” Dan laughed and felt his forehead for fever. “If you want my professional opinion, I believe it would benefit the healing process. It’s important that you eat anything and if you want pizza, then you’ll eat more as if I put on some healthier vegetable rice. Do you feel like trying to get up?”

Eddie nodded, after lying almost for a whole day, nothing kept him in this position anymore. “Great, let me just finish the check up and order some pizza.”

About half an hour later Dan had helped Eddie getting up. The burn of his leg was bad. He was still shivering and his knees felt too weak to support his body but at least Venom had been able to heal the bones, so he made it to the couch without much trouble. He was freezing cold without Venom to regulate his temperature and the heater in the flat being broken for almost two months now.

He hadn’t bothered before, because Venom was always there now to keep him warm anyway. Dan didn’t seem to be cold at least. When someone knocked on the door, Eddie got up before Dan. “I’ll pay.”

“What? No, it’s fine,” Dan wanted to protest, but Eddie had already opened the door and greeted the usual pizza boy. He paid and took the five boxes to the table. Dan seemed to be ashamed of ordering so many, when he was not even allowed to pay.

“Are you kidding me? I owe you a whole car actually,” Eddie just said and hissed in pain after dropping down on the couch. Yes, his everything still hurt, even if Venom was able to shut down most of his pain sensors by now. Dan immediately got a chair, so Eddie could store his injured right leg level.

“I didn’t know what Venom wanted, so I got him one with lots of meat and a special one made of-“  **“CHOCOLATE???”** Dan flinched visibly at the sudden black head appearing from Eddie’s body. It was only now that he was aware that Dan hadn’t really seen Venom after the symbiote had brought them home. And during immediate danger, Dan probably hadn’t really second guessed about trusting the symbiote, but he’d still have to get used to him.

Venom had opened the box, after sniffing them and found the pizza that was covered in all kinds of chocolate. The dough was a huge flat and round brownie. Some milk-chocolate sauce mimicking the tomato sauce, chocolate cookies placed in a pattern like the peperoni, chocolate sprinkles all over everything and on top some dark chocolate sauce. A normal human being would probably die of diabetes instantly.  **“Thank you Dan!”** Venom said and jumped at the surgeon. Dan made a surprised noise before being covered in black goo. “Venom, no, get off!” Eddie tried to pull him back but his finger just slid through the mass like through water.

“I-it’s okay!” Dan said nervously, when the symbiote pulled his mass back together and rubbed his head against Dan’s cheek and neck, “I’m glad you like it. Eddie had mentioned, that you had liked chocolate a lot, so…”

“Actually chocolate is giving him almost as much energy as eating brains. So… that’s the way better option to me. We only found a few things that would give him similar amounts of energy but most of them were raw meat or seafood, so…”

“Oh, this is why you made him jump into the lobster tank?” Dan remembered. Eddie was surprised, that Dan was addressing the symbiote directly.  **“We were starving and injured from being at the Life Foundation and you almost killing us in the MRI, we needed the energy, but we also needed the host.”** “Or else you would have just killed him?” Dan asked.

**“We would have. But we noticed that he’s a perfect match really fast. He wouldn’t have been able to hear us otherwise.”**

“Why did you try to eat his organs then?” Dan didn’t mean any harm, he seemed to be genuinely interested in how the symbiote worked.

**“We didn’t do it on purpose. When you found out we were already fixing the damage… We also apologize for trying to scare you off, but the MRI hurt and confused us… We were scared you’d do it again. We would have never actually hurt you!”**

“That’s really kind of you considering the only thing you knew of me was hurting you that time.”

**“But we also saw Eddie’s mind and heart. He liked you and-“**

“Would you just shut up and eat your pizza now?” Eddie said and pulled the now massive body back before he could talk any more nonsense. He already knew Dan wouldn’t let this one down by how wide his grin went. Eddie took one of the pizza boxes on his lap and offered Dan a beer with a gesture. Dan nodded and took it. He didn’t say anything against Eddie taking the other bottle, so it was probably okay.

“Aw, you liked me? I really thought you hated me at first,” Dan said and smiled shyly before drinking from the bottle. Eddie looked up with a surprised face. “Huh? Why would I? I thought you hated me actually…”

Dan looked confused. “What? You thought I- No, I didn’t! I meant it, when I said I was appreciating your work… I just thought, you wouldn’t like me, because you were still in love with Annie…”

“Oh… I don’t know what to say… I was actually there to try and get her back… and I didn’t know she had someone new, I was surprised, but… when I saw you, I changed my mind. Anne is a great woman. The way she smiled at you… it meant something. And I didn’t want to interfere with that.”

“You didn’t,” Dan said and smiled, “I’m actually really happy that I was able to meet you and you even called us friends earlier! This is still kind of exciting for me.” He admitting while staring down at his bottle.

Eddie, who had just opened a pizza box, stopped to look back at Dan. “Exciting?”

The surgeon turned red as a tomato and took one box on his lap to lean back on the couch and look somewhere else. “W-Well, you know… you being Eddie Brock… I just never thought, you’d be so… normal. And so kind. On the show you always appeared like a cool badass that’s not scared of anything but still cared. I really like this about you… but once you open up to someone they see, you’re only human as well and this kind of gives hope.”

“Hope…?”

“Yeah, because… if a normal person like you can do so much good in this world… then maybe a normal guy like me can do some change too…”

Eddie stared at Dan with an open mouth. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Eddie! I’m talking nonsense, I hope you’re not uncomfortable because of me…”

“No, I’m just… speechless, I guess. Noone ever said something so nice about me…” He bit his lower lip, then looked back up. “Dan, are you even aware that you’re everything but a ‘normal guy’? I mean, you see the crazy ex of your girlfriend jumping into a lobster tank and instead of laughing or calling the police, you actually pulled me out and got me help. I barely remember much of it, but you were on my side the whole time, holding my hand or shoulder… Normal guys don’t do that with people they don’t know… especially exes of their partners.”

“You scared me, not gonna lie, but I just couldn’t not help?” Dan smiled shyly and Eddie could swear he saw him blush. The silence stretched uncomfortably, before Venom spoke up.

**“We should watch one of those doctor series with Dan! We always wanted to do that.”**

“Oh god, V, I told you not to ask him!”  **“Dan can decide himself!”** Venom hissed and continued rubbing against Dan while eating his meat-monster pizza. Dan looked like a person scared of dogs who couldn’t decide if the dog on his lap wanted cuddles or bite his face off. But he opted for patting Venoms head carefully. Eddie could feel the happiness from the symbiote, to be accepted by the doctor.

“Why wouldn’t I want to?” Dan asked and looked at Eddie.

“You see, Venom doesn’t sleep like I do… so when he kept me awake for almost three days because he was so bored, I showed him how to use the console and my smartphone. You know, games, Netflix, YouTube and so on. And then he got really obsessed with a series on YouTube by a doctor who reacts to episodes of doctor series, commenting on differences and similarities. So since then he’s been a pain about asking you to watch something like that with you.”

Dan looked at him, then laughed out loud. “I actually know this channel and for most of the things, I couldn’t agree more!” Dan said and before Eddie could say anything else, Venom and Dan were analyzing the channel and thinking about which series they could actually watch. He was so stunned by the view, he forgot the pain for a moment. Dan and Venom discussing like some old buddies over pizza and beer, he wouldn’t have ever guessed, that this could be happening.

In the past few months, Dan and Eddie had developed a friendship like he never had before. They were going out to bars on a regular basis or just met at Eddie’s for football games, movies or just to talk. Dan and Annie would invite him for dinner every few days. And so far Venom had always understood that to protect them, no one could know about them, but he always had felt sad for being excluded from this part of Eddie’s life.

Now Venom had found himself his very own friend to talk about stuff. Eddie smiled while eating his pizza and listened to them. Venom had showed him the channel too and Eddie actually really enjoyed it, but he didn’t know enough medical stuff to really discuss with his partner. Venom was sucking up knowledge like a sponge and he had all night every day for himself to study or to enjoy himself. It was a huge help because Venom was a great help when it came to facts for his researches and articles.

“Grey’s Anatomy would be a classic, but I also like the concept of an autistic doctor, you know?” Dan said as they scrolled through the available shows. When Venom and Dan finally had decided on a show, Eddie had sunken in an uncomfortable looking position, pizza box lying on his lap with the burnt leg stored on a chair, softly snoring.

Dan smiled and put the box on a table. “I’ll bring him to bed,” He said, so Venom wouldn’t be surprised about the sudden contact, but Venom just purred. **“Not necessary, he’d only wake up and won’t be able to fall asleep anytime soon.”**

Least he could do was getting a blanket and cover Eddie, so he wouldn’t have to be cold. Dan had already noticed, that he had been shivering the whole day, but his temperature had never changed much. No fever, nor was his body too cold.

“Is he usually so cold too?” Dan asked and smiled, when Eddie’s head dropped against the back of the couch and he mumbled something too quiet to understand.

“His body temperature is normal, but his sensory is weird compared to the other human hosts we had. He experiences temperature colder than it actually is. We are usually able to override this, so he doesn’t freeze, but we shut down every non-vital function to heal ourselves as fast as possible.”

“Yeah, that’s a sensible thing to do. Would you tell me more about how this bond works? I’m really curious.”

“We’re an open book for you… but not today, we’re exhausted.”

Of course Dan understood. He nodded and took the remote to finally start the show. After a while Venom curled himself in on Eddie’s lap like a cat, careful not to put pressure on the injured leg. Eddie shifted in his sleep and started to fidget with Venom’s mass, massaging him right between his eyes.

Dan smiled and took his smartphone to take a picture. Venom seemed to notice, but didn’t question it. He only asked if he could see it and then smiled a bit wider.

“Do you think Eddie would mind, if I stay overnight again?” Dan asked after a while. He really didn’t want to leave him alone as long as he was still injured. Eddie stirred and mumbled, “Eddie would mind, if you stay on the couch for another night.” Eddie rubbed his eyes and yawned. “Dude, the bed is big enough to fit you tall thing… don’t ruin your back on the couch.”

“No way, you should get proper rest, the couch is fine for me. It’s not that uncomfortable.”

“Don’t argue with me, I still might die,” He said, as if he wouldn’t talk to a surgeon who actually knew he wouldn’t die anytime soon. “Just take the bed. We can share if you insist I shouldn’t sleep on the couch.”

Dan was really surprised by that offer. He never thought Eddie would mind having people around, he always seemed to be so confident and comfortable around everyone. When they had been walking to a bar and someone had recognized him and asked for a hug or a selfie, Eddie always seemed happy to provide. But Dan was also well aware that public Eddie and private Eddie where two different people. Usually people who had to be all open and confident in public would prefer privacy and isolation for their free time.

“If… you don’t mind? Sure!”

“Dan, you’re missing the best stuff,” Venom informed him and pulled at his shirt with a black tendril to get his attention, when some major plot thickened in the show and Eddie just smiled at his partner and turned to doze off again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for coming in for another chapter! I know I said I could post this one earlier but this week was so crazy! 
> 
> It's another really calm chapter, I hope it's not getting boring. Next chapter definitely won't be ~


	4. Chapter 4

Eddie woke up in the middle of the night after a loud crash, the nightmare still in his bones, pushing him down like a heavy blanket. Unsure, if the sound he had heard had been part of his dream or reality, he wanted to get up, but something was actually lying on him. Confused he lifted his head and saw, he was lying in his bed, Dan right next to him sleeping on his stomach, one arm extended over Eddie. He smiled and lied back down, trying to move as little as possible.

 **He won’t wake up.** Venom informed him and Eddie smiled at the voice that finally didn’t hurt anymore. “How would you know?” He whispered and Venom stretched from his chest to nose-bump him, before curling in the corner between his neck and shoulder.

**Dan didn’t wake up once, unlike you. Seems to be a really heavy sleeper. We accidentally dropped the notebook, you woke up immediately and he didn’t even flinch.**

“Wait, did you say you dropped the notebook?”

Eddie looked down tiredly and saw it lying next to the bed. Apparently still intact, but he’d have to test it. While Venom was getting the gadget, he carefully slid up into a sitting position. Dan’s arm was hanging loosely around his hip now, but as long as the doctor would get his sleep, he didn’t mind this at all. He placed the notebook on his lap careful not to put it on the wound.

Fortunately, the notebook still worked. Netflix was still open with a show had Venom watched with the lowest Volume possible. His improved senses allowed him to hear it just fine, even if the volume was set to 1 during the night. Eddie paused the show and opened the browser.

**What are you doing? You need sleep.**

“You know, I can’t sleep any longer… I’m having too much in my head… I guess, I’ll just do some research on what happened in that building.”

**Clearly a trap, solved it. No need to research. Now sleep, Eddie…**

Venom sounded so worried, it almost broke his heart. The symbiote had been just as scared as he had been this night. They hadn’t expected for something like this to happen. Eddie choose to ignore him this time and opened the e-mail that had led him into this building.

_Hello Mr. Brock,_

_I have a lead on the Life Foundation that might catch your interest, but this shouldn’t be discussed via mail._

_Please meet me this Tuesday around 10 p.m. Do not answer this mail_.

Below was the address to the building and room where Eddie had been waiting. He often ignored e-mails like this. But this one hadn’t been sent to his job-address but to his private one which was not out publicly. And ever since the rocket crash, a lot of information had been lost or covered. Eddie was always up to date with every gossip and information that would leak about the Life Foundation. Mostly to see if anyone who might know about Venom was still alive.

A picture in the attachment showed a hall where some guys in uniforms carried a big container that looked a lot like the one where Venom had been in.

He had agreed with Venom that they should at least listen to whatever this person had to say.

He had been a few minutes early, just in case, but the room had been empty. Only minutes later the door suddenly had been pushed open and two guys with guns had started to fire their automatic guns at him immediately. One of the idiots had hit a small container of flammable content, which then had exploded and set the room full of boxes on fire. The attackers had disappeared through the door, but the fire had been too fast. Eddie had seen no other way out than the window, with Venom literally screaming in pain.

A shiver ran down Eddie’s back, when he thought of the fall and he had to pause to steady his breath. He couldn’t have another panic attack. Venom rubbed his back with a tendril and softly licked his stubbly cheek.

“Thanks buddy… We need to find out who those guys were.”

**We saw them. One had acted as a cop after the accident with Dan. Then both of them attacked the ambulance. We ate them.**

“Yeah, I thought so… so both of them are gone. They attacked us with guns, I don’t think they know you’re still alive.”

**Better for us… right?**

“Yes… but then I wonder why they were trying to kill me. I’m not on any hot leads at the moment…”

He looked at the email for a moment, before forwarding it to a friend he knew from his time as a journalist in New York.

_Hello Sam,_

_I received this e-mail and of course took the lead. At the time and place, I was attacked by some guys with machine guns._

_Could you please lend me your hacking powers to find more information on who sent this mail?_

_Thanks and greetings to your family_

_Eddie Brock_

**Done all we could. We’re in a dead end without any other leads. You can only relax and heal now.** Venom insisted and pushed his shoulders down a little. 

“Have you been watching porn or why do you want me asleep so urgently?”

**Because we care! You’re hurt and it’s also stressing you out. You’re out of medicine for a week now, you should try not to get stressed at all.**

Eddie looked at Venom, the smile gone. “You’re right…” He looked down to Dan and smiled at the cute face the doctor made. He slowly slid down back to where he had been lying on his back before. Now his face was only a few inches away from Dan’s. He rarely saw Dan so relaxed. While the doctor was always a sunshine, he usually looked a bit tired, probably from his job.

Right when Eddie looked up to the ceiling and closed his eyes, his phone made a small noise, indicating an incoming message. Could Sam have been so fast?

He took the phone and pulled the blanket over his head, so the light wouldn’t wake Dan up.

  * Hi Eddie, Dan isn’t answering. Is he still at yours? Greetings, Anne



Eddie smiled at the message and answered.

  * Don’t worry, your bf is alive and well. He’s sleeping at the moment, you need anything from him?



The symbol below showed that she was reading and typing immediately.

  * No, you wouldn’t be able to wake him up anyway, I was just wondering. He’s usually home by now. How are you feeling?
  * I’m better thanks to Dan. Anne, I also need to tell you something. But not here. Would you come by tomorrow?
  * Sure, can I bring something? When will Dan be gone?
  * No, I don’t need anything. Uh, I don’t know. Why’re you asking?
  * Oh ok. I’ll be coming by lunch time and bring us something. Chinese is ok?



Eddie looked up to Venom, who had been reading with him. He nodded. Ignoring the fact, that she had ignored his question, he simply answered:

  * Yes, thank you a lot. You still know my usual?
  * I do. You should sleep now. Don’t tell Dan I asked, he didn’t want me to bother you
  * You know you’re not bothering me at all. But I was pretty much out yesterday, I don’t remember half of anything.
  * Sleep well. We’ll talk tomorrow.
  * You sleep well too.



**She sounded weird about Dan. You think they’re fighting?**

“Mh… I think so too, but I wouldn’t know why… we’ll see tomorrow.”

The next morning came and while Eddie felt less pain, he was as tired as ever. The nightmares were still fresh in his mind, no matter how sweetly Dan took care of him. When Dan moved to get up, Eddie immediately woke up too, but he could hear how careful the other moved, so he just tried to appear still asleep. No need to worry Dan about his sleeping habits.

An hour later Dan had decided to wake him up for breakfast. With his help, Eddie was able to get dressed and move to the couch.

“Woah, are you crazy? How did you even prepare all of this? I can’t remember having orange juice?”

“Oh, I was shopping some groceries, there is a lovely little shop! The owner said, she’d know you, Mrs. Chen I think? Such a kind woman!”

“Yeah… she’s amazing, she is the only other person knowing Venom is still alive.”

“She does? Oh, then she didn’t put those chocolate bars in the bag by accident after all. I wanted to bring them back after breakfast.”

**“No, please don’t! They’re for us! Can we have them please?”**

“Woah, when did you lean to ask so politely?”

**“Dan deserves all kindness and politelyness of the world.”**

“I agree, but that’s not even a word. I know you do that on purpose,” Eddie pouted before turning to Dan, “Thank you so much for all of this!”

Dan, who had followed their conversation with a grin just nodded, “It’s nothing, really!”

They sat down and watched the news while eating in silence. Venom almost ate all the scrambled eggs and bacon, before Eddie shot him a note to leave some for Dan as well. Eddie didn’t really mind if Venom ate everything, the symbiote knew where to draw the line, which things Eddie enjoyed the most and wanted to taste himself and which he usually only ate for energy and didn’t need to eat himself. But he couldn’t know the same of Dan.

 **It’s so hard! How do I know if he wants to eat bacon or not?** _Communication, love._ **But we communicate too, every second of the day.** _Yeah, but that’s nonverbal communication. You can’t know what Dan thinks or wants. You have to ask or guess, but you can only take guesses with experience._ **That’s so complicated. How are you even the leading species in the world? Your verbal communication skills suck and those are your only way to survive in a pack.** I don’t think we use ‘pack’ for a group of people…

Dan took some of the bacon slices and Eddie almost jumped of the sudden and loud shout only he heard. **HA! HE WANTED SOME. You were right!**

Eddie smiled and ate his peanut butter and jam sandwich while listening to the news. A short note on the fire claimed that there had been a gas leak and that two people who had worked a floor below had died in the flames. Eddie felt bad for them but Venom told him that it was not his fault.

“So… when do you have to get back to work?” Eddie asked when the news switched for some advertisements. “Next week I guess. I don’t feel ready to start working again at the moment to be honest. Being able to help you here makes me feel better, but I still had nightmares about what happened.” Dan said honestly. Eddie really appreciated this a lot. Dan was always nice and comforting, but never lied to make someone feel better.

“I’m really sorry,” He said and didn’t look away, “You can always talk to me. Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?”

Dan seemed to hesitate, then sat back on the couch, watching the alien next to Eddie.

“I think talking would help. If that’s okay?”

“Of course. Anything special? About Venom or that night?” He asked and sat into a more comfortable position trying not to put any pressure on his leg.

Dan seemed to think about it. “First of all… I have to tell you something. But I don’t know how.” He fidgeted with a pillow in his hands. Eddie had never seen him so nervous. “Sure, you can tell me everything.”

While Dan still didn’t look up to meet his eyes, he smiled a bit. “Anne and I broke up.”

“W-what?”

“Last week… I’m still staying at hers but I already found a flat… I was actually preparing to move this weekend. I wanted to tell you earlier, but… I didn’t know how.”

Eddie moved and leaned forward, ignoring the pain in his leg. He pulled Dan into a hug and held him close. The surgeon wrapped his arms way too tight around him and before Eddie realized it, his pullover was wet with tears.

“Hey… it’s okay… I’m here for you,” He said, trying to sound calm even though the information took him by surprise. He had always believed, Anne and Dan would make the perfect couple. Dan sobbed into the fabric of his pullover, suddenly appearing way smaller than he actually was. It hurt Eddie to see him like this. He held him close and rubbed his back until Dan had finally calmed down.

“Sorry,” He mumbled and wanted to pull away, but Eddie just held him. “No need to be sorry. I said I’m here, okay? I meant it. You’re my best friend.”

Dan nodded slightly and only then Eddie let go. He leaned to the table to get a handkerchief for Dan to dry his face. “Thank you… Eddie, really… I mean… Thank you.”

Eddie smiled at him. “Hey man, it’s nothing… just… can I ask you-“

“We didn’t fight or anything… we just… we talked and decided, that we just don’t fit. It’s not like something big happened, more like… all the small things. There is just so much that annoyed her about me and honestly… vice versa too. I told her, we need to tell you, but she just said that you’re her ex and a friend of mine, so she didn’t feel obliged to tell you.”

Eddie sighted, he knew how cold Anne could appear. She was a strong woman who had gone far in those young years. And would keep going far into a bright future without a doubt. But she had to make sacrifices for those achievements.

A loud cough got their attention. Eddie turned and only saw how the now-empty peanut butter glass suddenly fell to the floor. Venom’s mass rippled like when he saw danger coming, he didn’t look too good at all and Eddie could feel distress from his partner.

“Venom, are you okay?” **HELP.**

The symbiote made a wheezing sound and then dropped to Eddie’s lap, curling and rippling in a weird manner.

“I’m trying to??” He sighted and grabbed Venom by the maw, pulling his jaw open. The symbiote’s mouth was full of peanut butter.

“Are you insane? You tried to eat the whole glass at once?”

A pathetic crying sound came from the alien, as it tried to get rid of the sticky, dry texture by rubbing his tendrils over the long covered tongue. “God, I told you not to try that.”

**HeLp EdDiE**

Dan couldn’t help but laugh at the symbiotes demise. He poured in a big glass of water. “Maybe this can help? Drink it all and I’ll pour you some more, okay?”

“Dan, the parasite doctor.”

“PARASITE?” Venom howled as soon as his mouth was less sticky.

“Term of endearment,” Eddie said and massaged his head. Venom growled dangerously, but couldn’t help to relax from the massage. His eyes were only tiny slits now, tongue hanging out of the open maw and the growls turned into purrs.

“See? All better now…” Dan carefully took a tendril between his fingers and took a closer look. “Say… didn’t you say, he’s bullet proof because he just dissolved the metal in his body? Why couldn’t he do that with the peanut butter?”

“We don’t know… some things are just different. Sticky. We could have moved around the peanut butter but then it would have stuck somewhere else,” Venom tried to explain. Eddie laughed. “Yeah, my guess is that you could have dissolved it or just go back inside of me but you’re too greedy to waste it!”

Venom growled but didn’t disagree. Instead he turned to dive head first into the nutella glas. 

Eddie sighted and turned around. Dan was smiling watching the symbiote, but his eyes were still a bit red. 

“Hey… you can stay here as long as you want to, okay?” 

Dan turned and looked actually surprised. “You mean that?”

“Sure, why not?” “I- just thought… because I’m no longer with Anne-” “That you’re no longer my friend? For a doctor you can be pretty stupid sometimes. Man, you’re my best friend, I wouldn’t trade you for anything in the world. I wish you’d told me sooner… I really enjoy when you stay over!”

They finished breakfast and much to Eddie's frustration, Dan forbid him to get up and help with tidying up. After Dan had finished, he cleaned the wounds again. He frowned, while carefully cleaning the edges.

"This doesn't look too good. It only looks slightly better than everyone with a normal healing factor, but it's worse than yesterday… Venom, is there anything you can do against the inflammation? The wound festered, that's very bad!"

**"We can try but we're still not able to manipulate much…"**

Eddie calmed the distressed symbiote in his mind. He'd be able to heal him as soon as he was healed himself. He had to take it slower now, he had to do something to keep the infection down himself, he didn't want to only rely on his partner.

Dan seemed to be happy with the answer, he only nodded and then put some paste on it, covering it with a piece of foil so it wouldn't wet through the bandages, before packing the leg in bandages tightly.

"The compression is important, I know it hurts… but if the pain gets any worse than now, please tell me immediately."

"Thank you Dan!"

They agreed on watching TV and Eddie fell asleep shortly after Dan and Venom had decided on some show again. Funny how he was barely able to sleep through the night but had no problem to just pass out on the couch.

About two hours later he woke up by the ring of his doorbell. He grumbled, moving to get up, when he was carefully held down by the symbiote. **Don't move. You're still hurt… Dan already got up.**

"Oh… Anne…" Dan said and stepped aside.

Anne came in, carrying a bag full of Chinese takes boxes, which she dropped at seeing him. Venom has hidden inside, but apparently he looked awful even without an alien creeping out of his skin.

"Eddie? What happened?"

She quickly got to him, ignoring Dan who moved to get up the boxes and brought them to the kitchen to prepare everything on separate plates.

"I'm fine, I swear. It looks worse than it is."

"You're such a bad liar. How did this happen?'

"I was attacked by some idiots with guns… they had set a trap, but accidentally shot a barrel with caught fire immediately. My only way out of the room was through the window or else I would have burned alive.

I was lucky and Dans car caught me just right… he's really taking good care of me."

"I bet he is" Anne said in a weird voice, then turned to look at Dan, who stood in the door frame. As if being called out, he blushed and turned to go back to the kitchen a bit too quickly. 

"So… surviving a fall out of a window by landing on a car. You don't actually think I buy that… let me talk to him."

"What do you-"

"Do you think I'm stupid?"

Eddie flinched at this, then allowed his partner to show himself of he wanted to. The black mass slowly covered his shoulder before forming a head. 

**"Hello, Anne."**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I admit this was by far the hardest chapter to decide on...
> 
> I feel like it's getting too slow burn, if you feel the same please let me know!
> 
> But mostly I originally wanted to cut the chapter way earlier than I did .. then I ended up packing more and more, the whole dialogue with Anne ant it was just getting too long, so I decided on leaving it like this 
> 
> What's your expectation for future outcome?


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne loves her chaotic ex-boys and Eddie is pissed at Dan for 0.5 seconds.

“You must be kidding me, right? I was so worried after you told me, Venom had died? You mourned and we supported you. Did you ever think about how we would feel finding out you lied to us the whole time?” Anne was angry. Well, fuck.  


“N-not the whole time.” Eddie said hesitatingly before stuffing his mouth with the delicious Chinese rice. They had sat down and Eddie had promised to tell them both everything while they ate.

Dan sat on the couch next to Eddie while Anne took the armchair on Eddie’s other side. He couldn’t see Dan from the corner of his eye, but he knew that Venom was lying on his lap, enjoying massages and being fed by the doctor. It didn’t bother either of them that Venom sometimes just had to use his cute snake-like face to act like a pet to get more food.

“What?”

“I said I didn’t lie to you the whole time. I did think he died… And I mourned for him. He needed a lot of time to be strong enough to talk to me again… He didn’t want to hurt me again by consuming my organs, so he had to rely on the energy I consumed for both of us. He couldn’t even tell me he was still there or else I could have bought more chocolate, you know? Help the process… And then… after about two months-

Look, I wanted to tell you. He was really excited to tell you… but I made the decision that it would be safer, not to tell you anything. It was not his opinion, we even fought about it. But we don’t know what remains of the Life Foundation. 

The ambush two days ago is only supporting my choice. Dan could have died, not only from me falling on his car, but also from the crash or if Venom wouldn’t have been able to stop the two from killing us-”

“Wait, what are you talking about now? Crash? Venom had to stop someone from killing-”

Eddie turned to the doctor and saw Dan’s face paling. He hadn’t told Anne what had happened.

**“The situation was under control at all given times. We would not risk Dan’s or your life, Anne.”**

“While that’s really nice to say, it doesn’t sound like you have any control at all. Eddie, it tried to kill you! Who tells you, it won’t turn against you again?”

Eddie couldn’t believe what Anne was saying.

“Excuse me?”

“For all we know it could kill you with the blink of an eye! You can not trust it, it’s no cute pet- God, Dan could you stop cuddling with it?”

While Dan looked up from holding Venom and had stopped massaging his head right above the eyespots, he didn’t let go.

“Okay. I believe we need some ground rules.” Eddie said in a stern voice. “What?” Anne said disbelieving.

“First of all. While Venom’s race does not have gender identity, Venom decided that he wants to be referred as ‘he’ while I’m his host. You’ll respect this decision or you won’t refer to him at all.

Secondly, I trust Venom with my life. The bond works both way, and I’m pretty sure you know this. I got used to his way of communication. We trust each other, because he depends on me just the same. We have formed a permanent bond which no one can break anymore, not even this MRI trick.”

“You… permanently bonded? Eddie- are you aware how crazy this sounds?”

“To be honest, after the time you should know me better.” Eddie said. Anne just stared at him. Then she lowered her look.

“Yes… I should have known… the way you talk about him, the way you stand up for him… you’re in love.”

Eddie looked at her, neither confirming nor denying it. He was in love, just like Venom was in love with him.

She looked at Dan with something weird in her eyes. Then she nodded. “I still think it’s dangerous… being with Venom. But I have to accept your decision, you know him better than I.”

Eddie sighted in relief, which turned into a disgusted grunt after Venom licked his face with extra lots of tongue and spit.

“Yeah, thanks buddy. Amazing. That’s what the rice was missing,” He grumbled sarcastically.

Dan couldn’t help but laugh at the sight. Which reminded Anne of him being there.

“So… you’ll be staying here?” She asked him. Eddie sat back so he wouldn’t block the view. He could feel how uncomfortable Dan suddenly felt.

“Yes… Eddie offered me. I- I told him.” She simply nodded, “If you want, we can get your stuff here?” She offered.

Dan looked nervously at Eddie. Oh if he’d be able to walk alone, he’d run the fuck out of this situation. But he couldn’t.

“I’d love to help, but I think my doctor would scold me…” “He would. But… is it really okay?”

“Sure! You know my flat, I barely have anything in the drawers anyway. There’s enough space for your belongings. Like I said, you can stay however long you need… or want,” He laughed, before helping himself with another serving of rice.

“Thank you, Eddie… really…”

Dan brought Anne to the door after Eddie had fallen asleep on the couch again. The pain relievers and the injuries exhausted him faster than usual. From the corner of his eye he saw Venom throwing himself at the leftovers, which was quite a lot.

Anne gestured him to close the door because she wanted to talk.

He took the key from the hook next to the door and closed it behind him.

“Dan… I’m happy how this turned out for you. You’re both so very important to me. But… please take care of yourself, okay? I know how much you need to take care of others and Eddie is someone who really enjoys being taken care of. But…”

She hesitated.

“Eddie was broken beyond repair from the start. No matter how healthy and happy he may seem… you can’t heal him. And you’ll only get hurt trying.”

Dan was confused. He didn’t really know what she meant. From what he knew about Eddie from the news and the last few months of being his friend, he had already guessed that Eddie had depressive phases. But this was a natural feeling after hitting bottom like Eddie did with the Life Foundation incident.

“Thank you, Anne. I know that’s probably not easy for you… but… I really care for him.”

“Did you already tell him why we broke up?”

He shook his head. Anne had agreed on not telling Eddie. She had known, he had a crush on “that hot journalist from the news network” how he used to call him sometimes, before knowing Eddie Brock was her ex. And she had seen him falling for him more and more the better they got to know each other. She had pulled him aside and told him, that she wanted to give them a chance. She knew Eddie was bi and she guessed from the way Eddie looked at Dan and how he treated him, he was also into him. Maybe not aware at this point, but she was rarely wrong. Female intuition perhaps…

Anne smiled fondly and put her hand on his cheek.

“Just promise me, you won’t get hurt… and… that you won’t hurt him.”

Dan closed his eyes and smiled back. She was the most gorgeous woman he knew.

“Of course. Thank you, Anne.”

She smiled and then turned and left. He watched her until she was out of sight and then turned. Broken beyond repair from the start.

Whatever she meant by that, he didn’t know. But it also caught his interest. She was right, he needed to take care of his partner and while he loved her with all his heart, it was sometimes hard how independent and strong she was.

He had had relationships before that had been the complete opposite, people who only took how much he had to give without ever giving back. Both of them were not good partners for a long time relationship with him. He needed someone he could take care of, but who was also aware of his own needs. He couldn’t really guess what type Eddie was.

He was dedicated and caring. He was a good friend. But if a story caught him like with Carlton Drake, he developed a hyper fixation without taking care of who he had to step on. Dan understood this… he had never told Anne, but he had also understood Eddie in the situation back then.

The journalist had a strong sense of what was right and wrong and he had an even stronger sense to correct the wrongs in this world. Without this sense, he would have been completely wrong in the job he had chosen.

Quietly he opened the door and got inside. Eddie was awake again, looking like he’d fall back asleep any minute now. He was talking to Venom about something, holding the symbiote in a close hug while rubbing his head in a comforting way. 

“I know, V… She didn’t mean it like that. She’s just careful and worried,” He said, as Dan stepped closer. He looked up and smiled at the doctor, “V is a bit upset about her words. But I just told him she’ll warm up on him in no time.”

“Eddie’s right. She just wants to protect her chaotic ex-boyfriends,” He said and got a bar of chocolate from the drawer before sitting next to them. “As a doctor I recommend this as medicine for hurt feelings, you’ll feel better in no time.”

**“Thank you, Dan! We’re happy that you didn’t react like this. We are aware you’d have much more reason to be scared or wary of us.”**

“You gave me no reason… I know you were only protecting yourself, because I scared you back then. I didn’t know you were there the first time I used the MRI on Eddie. I wanted to help him. So your reaction when we were in the room the second time was natural, I guess. I would have been scared too.”

**“We know. But we have to clarify that we’re not scared. A wolf is not scared of a bunny, even if the bunny is able to make sounds that hurt the wolf.”** Venom nose-bumped Dan and licked his cheek, before taking the chocolate with a happy chirp.

Dan smiled, when Eddie almost suffocated on the water he just drank.. “A wolf, huh? More like a lap dog,” He laughed. Suddenly his smartphone rang. He could read the name ‘Sam’ on this display.. “Oh that’s important, sorry,” Eddie said as he answered the phone.

“Hey, Sam! How are you?” Dan watched Eddie tense, before nodding and mumbling something about the Life Foundation.

“I knew it. Sam, thank you, you helped me a lot! Is there anything you could send me as a proof without bringing your family or yourself in danger? A whole protocol? That would be amazing! Thank you a lot.”

He ended the call and looked at the phone.

“I fucking knew it,” He repeated, then looked up, as if he was searching something.

“We didn’t bring the laptop from the bedroom. You need to rest anyway.” Venom said while nibbling at the chocolate.

“What? No, I need to see the protocol, Dan could you maybe help me up?” Dan hesitated. “Uhm, I’m sorry but I agree with Venom. You were almost falling off the couch earlier… You really should rest now…”

For the first time since he knew Eddie personally now, the journalist shot him a sour look. “Fine.” Eddie said in a pissed tone, crossed his arms and leaned back on the couch, facing the TV. Dan sighted. He could understand Eddie… this was not some random research, he was trying to find out what had gone wrong those few days ago.

Suddenly Eddie sat upright again. 

“Okay, I swear I’m going to rest as long as you want me to, but I really need to see this protocol now, please?” 

“What is it about?” Dan asked, happy that Eddie decided to stop pouting so fast. 

“Sam, a friend of mine, was able to hack into the old Life Foundation servers. They should have shut down months ago already, and publicly they claimed to have shut down everything. But someone still has a regular access to the information. Sam was able to gather a whole copy of the server, so we can access the information, without leaving any fingerprints. And he was able to get a protocol of the IP-addresses that still have access, as well as when and from where they got in. And what exactly they were looking for.”

Only now Eddie took a break to breathe, before going on, “Dan. They attacked us. They were not aiming for Venom, or they wouldn't have used guns. They were aiming for me as a person… which means that everyone close to me is in danger. You’ve been there, they could have shot you! I need to find them as soon as possible…”

Dan understood what Eddie was saying. Still he didn’t feel comfortable asking. “And… what will you do if you found them?”

“Investigate, of course. I will find out what they want from me. And if I can’t stop them as a person, we have to stop them as Venom.”

Dan sighted, then he got up to get the notebook from the bedroom. Venom had left it on the pillow in the morning. He took it to Eddie and sat down next to him, getting the paper notebook and a pen from under the living room table. 

“Okay you check the protocol and I will write down whatever you need. And after that I’ll take care of the burn and then you’ll rest. Deal?”

Dan almost had a heart attack at the pure smile he got. “Yes, thank you, Dan!”

They worked through the protocol Eddie had in his mails together and after finishing it, Eddie was able to make out the main sources. Four apparently different parties, that were trying to gather every bit of information they could get about the symbiotes. 

He was even able to find out what seemed like the headquarter addresses of two of them. “How are you even doing this?” Dan asked and looked over his shoulder. 

“Experience, I guess,” Eddie said, concentrated in his research, “I wouldn’t know how to fix a broken bone or treat a burnt leg,” He said then and looked up to Dan. “And even if I had the knowledge, I wouldn’t be able to do it…”

Dan smiled fondly and got his attention back to the notes he had taken. "So… If you'd be of full health, what would be the next step…?"

"Visiting the addresses… staying hidden, collecting as much information as I can. Until I know for sure what they want from me and who's pulling the strings."

Dan understood. He sighted and got up, placing the notes next to Eddie, before getting his medical case, a wet towel and a dry one.

Eddie moved his laptop under the desk without complaints and looked like he was deciding whether he should pull up the long legs of his pants or dropping them completely. He was wearing boxershorts anyway and in a normal shift Dan saw much more skin than Eddie could imagine. He never had second thoughts about that, kept it professional to make the experience the least uncomfortable for his patients. 

Eddie decided to just push the pants down. He had worn the same short pants for the last two days, but changed to a longer sweatpant because of how cold it was during the night. Dan sat down next to the couch and opened his case. The wound had infected a bit, the area around it was red and swollen. But he still saw how much it had improved overall. 

"Is it that bad?" 

He looked up and just noticed then that he was probably wearing his serious doctor look, Anne used to make fun of.

"Oh, no, it's not bad… it's not ideal, but it could be worse. I think any other person without a symbiote would have lost the leg."

"W...what??"

“Oh, don’t worry, you won’t lose it of course!” Dan laughed. 

After Dan had cleaned his wounds, he got up to get more bandages. Eddie sat up to see the wound himself. So far Dan had worked so fast, he hadn’t had the chance yet. From the middle of his thigh to shotly below the knee was a deep open wound. The area around the edges was red and swollen, He could definitely see how one could lose his leg from this.

After Dan had finished bandaging him, Eddie got up to pull his trousers back on. Eddie thought he had imagined it, but even Venom hummed in the back of his head. 

**Dan’s checking us out. He blushed after staring at your butt.**

“Oh, shut up,” He said out loud, only noticing it then. “Sorry, I was talking to-” “Venom, I’m aware,” Dan said and laughed. He was kind enough not to ask while packing up his medical case. He left the room to store it next to the bed again, where they’d need it in the morning.

Eddie sighted. He looked after Dan with a fond smile, when someone was knocking on the door. “Oh, did Anne forget something?”

The moment he touched the doorknob, he felt some weird tickle in the back of his head, but it took him too long to register it as a warning. He opened the door and looked into the barrel held in his face. **EDDIE!** He didn’t even have time to curse, when the trigger clicked and a bullet pierced through his skull right between his eyebrows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhm.... hope you enjoyed this chapter and see you next sunday ... :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another heartbreaking chapter I'm sorry already...

Dan smiled at Eddie after putting the bandages on. “I don’t see a reason to keep you from walking now. As long as you don’t put too much pressure on the leg, you should be fine. But trust your feeling, if you feel that you need a break, then sit down and store your leg upright again.”

He got up and lend Eddie his hand to pull himself up. When the journalist leaned down to pull his pants back up, he couldn’t help but see how perfectly tight the boxers wrapped around his ass. As soon as he catched himself staring, he looked away, feeling incredibly hot. So much for keeping it professional always. “Oh, Shut up.” Eddie mumbled, and he felt kind of exposed. “Oh sorry, I was talking to-” “Venom, I’m aware,” Dan said laughing and decided not to ask. Venom probably caught him staring, he didn’t feel comfortable enough to talk about this yet.

“How about you prepare a movie, while I tidy up this stuff,” He suggested instead, packing his case and moving to bring it into the bedroom. He’d need it there in the morning. And it gave him a quick moment to breathe.

He remembered what Anne had said. She was happy for them. He couldn’t believe how kind and cool she was with this situation. Any other woman would have burned his car to the ground.

Now he only had to make her sacrifice worth it. And he had no clue how to do it. Of course he had experience with other man, he had been rather open about it with Anne from the start. And from her he knew, that Eddie was just as open about who he fell in love with. But from the last few months of being his friend, he was aware, that it took more than looks and interest for Eddie to be attracted. He needed trust, reliability and stability. Due to his job and now his alien partner his life was complicated and busy. He needed someone that gave him a rest from the rest of the world. Someone where he could be himself.

Dan believed, that he could be just this someone. But how to tell your best friend that you wanted more? Eddie had never given him any indication that he had feelings for him. He did seem honest and comfortable around him, didn’t mind any touch between them. They hugged to greet each other, sometimes Dan would rest his arm on the couch behind Eddie and the journalist never even flinched when leaning against him. And lately he had learned, that Eddie didn’t mind to sleep in the same bed with him.

Dan just hoped, that Eddie hadn’t noticed how clingy he had been that night, but in the morning, Eddie had slept safe and sound, so he had been able to steal away really early. He smiled, thinking about Eddie, all relaxed and comfortable, softly snoring with the symbiote curled on his chest like a snake.

Dan was pulled from his daydreaming from a sound that almost sounded like a shot from a gun. He wondered, what kind of movie Eddie had chosen, but decided that he couldn’t hide all evening. When he opened the bedroom door the first thing he noticed was the silence. No TV, no chats between Eddie and Venom.

Next he saw the open door. His body suddenly felt really cold, when he moved on. It felt like slow motion, when he was able to look at the door.

Eddie was lying on his back, unconscious, arms stretched away from his body to the sides. Under his head was a puddle of red liquid… that was growing in alarming speed. Dan was frozen for a second.

The next moments felt like the time lost during the slow motion was now speeding twice as fast as usual. He jumped to the body on the floor, shook him in growing panic.

“Eddie? Oh god, Eddie!”

He saw the bullet hole in his skull, an injury he saw way too often and knew very well. With his hand he stabilized Eddie’s neck, as he pulled him upwards into a sitting position. He didn’t have the usual helping hands around him, he was all alone.

He pulled Eddie to lean against his body. Carefully he checked if the bullet was stuck or... No, there was a clear hole in the back of his head too. The bullet was out the second it got in.

With a shaking hand he placed his fingers on Eddie’s neck, and to his surprise he was able to find a weak, way too slow pulse.

He also knew those cases. Where the body hadn’t yet registered that it was dead already. Lungs that would still breathe for minutes, sometimes even hours. A heart that was still pumping blood through the system.

It was the hardest part in his job to explain the family, that there was no hope. No-one was able to recover from brain dead. And now he understood why it was so hard for them to understand.

Eddie was lying in his arms. Warm. His heart was beating, his lungs were filling with air. He looked like he was sleeping, relaxed and soft. Only that there was a deep hole in his skull, leaking blood, which dripped down his cheeks in the front and hair in the back.

He put a shaking hand on Eddie’s cheek and carefully kissed his forehead.

“I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry,” He cried, holding Eddie close. He felt as helpless as a child, as he was sitting on the floor with the man he loved on his lap. The man he hadn’t even had the chance to admit his love to.

He pressed his face in the damp hair, holding Eddie as close as possible, tears running down his face. “I’m sorry,” He sobbed, almost whispering. There was nothing he could do.

**“Not your fault.”**

Dan gasped, almost let go of the limp body in his arms. “Venom!”

He couldn’t see any hint of the black alien, he almost thought, he had imagined it in his shock.

**“We can fix it. Sorry, we didn’t do it yet. We had to make sure they really believed, he was dead.”**

Dan couldn’t believe it. “You… you can fix this? For sure? What about the brain damage, can he-“

**“We can. Could you move him to the couch?”**

Venom didn’t sound as strong and sure as usual. But Dan understood his tone. He needed Dan to function now. Dan took a deep breath to calm himself down, before lifting Eddie up. With a kick of his foot he closed the door and carried Eddie to the couch.

He pulled down the blanket to place it under Eddie’s head. The blanket would probably be easier to wash or rebuy than the whole couch. “What do you need? Is there anything I can do?”

**“Yes. Please stitch the wound on the back. The skull is easy to fix, but we don’t need to heal the skin necessarily. Noone will see the scar anyway.”**

Dan hesitated. He didn’t want to leave Eddie alone, but his medical stuff was in the bedroom. He was aware, that Venom was right, he was still weakened, and he shouldn’t have to heal unnecessary stuff.

**“Dan. We also need your knowledge of the human body. Hurry, please.”**

After getting his medical case, he carefully turned Eddie to lie on his stomach, so he could stitch the wound. The blood, now oozing from the wound in his forehead, made an ugly sound.

He concentrated on the task at hand. Eddie was still unconscious and wouldn’t wake up anytime soon, so he began to stitch the skin without hesitation.

“So… what do you need to know?” He asked. Venom hummed, before asking,

**“Which organs can a human survive without?”**

“Which organs… oh.” He understood. Venom was able to keep Eddie alive, but he needed more energy. Energy he had to take from eating Eddie’s organs. He felt sick by the thought, especially after seeing what damage the symbiote was able to do to its host first hand.

**“Eddie said, there are organs he could completely live without. Some he could temporarily live without. But he was not sure which ones.”**

Dan nodded, Eddie was right... “Okay. First we’re gonna do the ones you can remove completely. If you don’t know where it is, you have to tell me, okay?”

Venom agreed. “The gallbladder and the appendix are not necessary. Removing them will have no future effect. You can remove about half of the liver. Due to his age and health, it should be able to regenerate completely within a few weeks, even without your help.”

He waited a bit, while looking at the entry wound on Eddie’s forehead slowly disappeared.

**“We need more.”**

“Okay. You should remove the colon next, but carefully. You should replace it, but it’s not priority. The pancreas is something he could live without as well, but in long-term effect, he could suffer from insulin deficiency or digestive problems. Removing the spleen will lead to a weak immune system, so you should replace those as fast as you can.”

Slowly his skin began to look less pale. The breath steadied and his pulse got stronger again. 

„If… if you need to… you can also remove one of his kidneys or lungs, but… Only if everything else won’t be enough,” He said, holding Eddie’s hand, because there was nothing else he could do.

For a while nothing happened. Venom was not speaking, probably saving energy. He slowly got up.

“I will clean the floor… if you need anything, please let me know.”

He couldn’t sit and wait anymore, he needed something to do. He needed something to take care of. Quickly he placed all chocolate bars he could find next to Eddie and saw how a tendril sneaked out and grabbed two of them immediately. 

Then he prepared a bucket with hot water and bleach to clean the floor. In his training, he’d have to clean surgery rooms often, but they were not made of wood that would suck in the blood. In the end he was able to remove the stain and blood from the floor. 

He sat down on the floor next to the couch, leaning against it and took Eddie's hand. The flat was way too silent.

"Venom? How is he doing…?" He asked and waited for an answer. Nothing. "Venom?"

He turned and got on his knees, grabbed Eddie's hand. "Eddie? Venom?"

His blood froze as he noticed, that Eddie was not breathing! 

"No!! Eddie!"

He put his ear on Eddie's chest to listen, but his heart was pumping blood through his body without missing a beat.

Without hesitation, he started respiration, his lips pressed on Eddie's. In his training he had been thought, that respiration with strangers was always safest mouth to nose, it was cleaner and more hygienic. But mouth to mouth would press more air into his lungs and therefore be more effective. And Eddie was no stranger.

After a few seconds something touched his arm. He flinched up in shock, not expecting it. Eddie coughed, trying to find grip aimlessly, desoriented. "Eddie!" Dan sighted in relief and threw himself in a hug.

Eddie laughed, still coughing in a weird way.

"If you just wanted to kiss me, you could have asked."

"You were not breathing! Venom wasn't answering, I was panicking…"

**"Breath us not a required function. We're trying to save energy to wake him fast."**

"Breathing is not- Venom, of course it's important! How long was his brain without oxygen?" He immediately grabbed Eddie at the chin and took his lamp to check his pupils reaction. Normal.

**"Not a second"**

"With Venom I… technically don't need to breathe… he can draw the oxygen from skin only. Sorry if he scared you like this.. but what even happened?"

"You don't remember?"

Eddie frowned, still looking even more tired than usual.

"There was someone at the door… I thought it was Anne…"

**"Was not. Was a guy who shot you in the face."**

Eddie looked at Dan in horror. "Oh god! Did he- did he hurt you?"

Dan registered his bloodied hands and he hadn't changed their clothes yet. He was still covered in Eddie's blood.

"Not mine…" He mumbled and sighted. Then the exhaustion took over and he passed out and collapsed against the couch.

Eddie's head still hurt like hell. He had to move slowly, but venom had healed all damage at once. Even his burnt leg. The symbiote promised to replace all organs he had consumed.

Carefully he pulled the bedsheets over them and wrapped his arms around the sleeping Dan. He felt sorry for making him worry like this. But he was also glad that whoever had shot him thought that he was gone now and didn't try to search his stuff. He would have found Dan and killed him.

**We couldn't protect you.**

"Are you kidding me? You saved me…"

**We should have killed him.**

"Then they would have sent someone else. Maybe we wouldn't be this lucky then? Maybe Dan would have opened the door?

Now they think I'm dead. That's good. They won't tail us or our friends any longer. We can investigate without being noticed."

**What if they watch our home? Or break in to get your stuff? You wondered why they didn't do that, what if they will?**

Venom was right. What on earth could they want from him being dead, if not information? What was he about to find out that could harm them so much? 

"Darling, could you give me my notes? I don't want to wake Dan," He said. Dan, who held him almost too tight, head on his chest moved a bit and mumbled "Sure, hun…" before sighting and relaxing again.

Eddie had to hold his breath not to laugh out loud, just continued to rub Dan's back in a soothing way. He was really fascinated by how cute a man this size could look. He couldn’t help but blushing. 

So close he was allowed to stare shamelessly. He noticed an almost invisible grey shadow from the growing stubble. He had never seen Dan with a beard but it would probably suit him a lot. But wearing a beard was probably problematic as a surgeon, he guessed.

His smile made him look incredibly young, even now he didn't look a lot older than 30. Eddie had never noticed how many freckles Dan actually had. He had been introduced to him around October and had known him for a few months now. It made Eddie wonder if the freckles would be much more prominent in the summer. He couldn't wait to see.

Before wrapping him in his own pyjama, he had carefully unclothed him and wiped the blood away. Then he had done the same to himself.

His pyjama was much more comfortable than the bloodstained clothes and he felt almost human again. He just hoped Dan wouldn't mind him ignoring his privacy like this.

Collapsing like this had scared Eddie to death, but he and Venom both agreed, that it was probably just exhaustion from the last hours. Dan really needed sleep more than anything now.

Venom’s tendrils had quietly opened the drawer and pulled Eddie’s investigative notes out. He gave them to Eddie, who began to check every single page. Nothing particularly interesting catched his eye, until he came to an interview. About two months ago, he had been offered the interview of his life. The infamous Cletus Kasady had asked for him. 

Since the FBI had tried to gather every information they could to find the bodies, maybe even more names. His eyes fell on one note, he had taken. He tried to remember, what Cletus had said this moment. Due to security reasons he hadn’t been allowed to bring anything but his little notebook and a pen. He hadn’t been allowed to record the interview, because even if the FBI had been greedy for any hint, human rights would still protect the right of consent and private information of a human being like Cletus. He hadn’t given his content to be recorded. 

**Asked about Drake.**

“Right… But it was not what he had asked… it was his tone. Something in his voice…”

**He had stared in your eyes for the whole interview. Except this moment.**

“I remember. You had been there as one of my bracelets, holding me, because I was so fucking nervous around him. He had stared right at you and…”

He had mentioned his bracelets in this very moment. Eddie had noticed it, at least unconsciously, maybe through Venom, but he had scribbled a small ‘connection LF?’ in the corner of the page. 

But after this, Cletus had been as informative as ever, given them twenty names. He had promised to cooperate with the FBI and give more names as trade for entertainment, like a TV or sweets. And as Eddie had left, he had promised to ‘see him soon’ 

_ ‘There will be carnage.’ _

Eddie felt a cold shower running down his back. But if Kasady had broken out of prison, there would have been news about it. He quickly checked his phone, but the most interesting regional news was about the discounts in a nearby store. No warnings of a free serial killer on a killing spree.

“But this doesn’t explain, why someone would be after me at all. Except…” The blood froze in his veins, “Except, there is a connection between the Life Foundation and Kasady. As in… there were experiments with prisoners that no-one would miss. Venom, do you know anything about that?”

**You know we barely remember our time there. It had been seven months of pain and experiments. They almost killed every one of us, because they didn’t know how to keep us alive. But…**

Eddie felt Venom trying to remember more, but it was hard. They had talked about everything that had happened for hours, and Eddie had the feeling, it helped Venom as much as it helped him. But it was still not pleasant to talk about it. Suddenly his vision began to blur. He closed his eyes as fast as he could. Venom really rarely used this method to show him his memories and pictures, because the first time had been literally overloading his brain system with information, leading to Eddie pass out on the floor for a few hours. 

Venom was more careful about the load of information now, only showed him flickers of faces. It was not a clear picture, much like when Eddie tried to see his own reflection in glass instead of a mirror. He realised, this were pictures Venom remembered from the eyes of his former hosts. One of them was Maria. 

Guilt and pain flood his mind, he missed her so much. She had been a friend, when noone else wanted to even know him. 

Then her face was gone, just like the others.

“Wait… can you…” He coughed to get the thick feeling out of his throat. “Could you show me the third person again? More clearly if possible.”

Venom did and Eddie immediately felt dizzy. He was close on passing out again, but he saw what he had to see.

“Okay. I know him! Let me just…”

He grabbed his phone, as soon as the dizziness was gone and found the person quickly.

“He was not a homeless. He was a serial killer… He was infamous for killing people in their sleep, after breaking in their homes. After that he would burn the houses down. Eventually they were able to find him, but I remember-”

He found the article he had been looking for. The headline read ‘Serial killer found dead in his cell.’ It claimed, they had found him, dropped dead after a severe heart attack. He would have been able to save, if the guards would have found him earlier, but the heart attack must have happened shortly after their round. 

**Lies. His head was sick, we didn’t see any strength worth to keep alive, so we ate his organs to survive.**

“He was in the same prison as Cletus Kasady. What if... “

**Possible. But why would he have survived? Only Riot and us survived the host experiments, after this, only Drake and you were left.**

“I honestly don’t care how he survived those. I’m just glad he didn’t end up with a symbiote himself, can you imagine the huge fuck up?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wouldn't it be so fucked up??


	7. Chapter 7

**Why did you even let him sleep on you?**

Eddie, who was really struggling with his alarmingly full bladder, tried to lie as still as possible.

“Because it’s comfortable. And can you imagine how he’d react, if he wakes up and I’m gone? He’d probably panic… I don’t want him to suffer any more.”

**So instead you’re suffering? How comfortable are you right now, pussy?**

“Just shut up, parasite! Can’t you help there?”

**Of course we could. But you just called us parasite again. Suffer, bitch.**

“I’m sorry, darlin’ you know it’s a term of endearment! You’re not a parasite, you’re my partner and you take such good care of me. You won’t let me suffer, will you? Especially since we’ll be celebrating our love with the big chocolate cake, you wanted me to buy last week?”

**The big chocolate cake from the bakery? The triple chocolate?**

Eddie hummed in agreement and Venom oozed out on his chest to cuddle him. He purred dark and soft, kissing Eddie’s cheek.

**You’re taking such good care of us too, hun** .

“Oh, calling me hun now? Not pussy?” He smiled, remembering that Dan had called him that an hour ago in his sleep.

**It’s a term of endearment, now shut up and sleep.**

Eddie noticed, that the pressure was gone and smiled. “Thank you, darling,” He answered in a mumble. Dan stirred on top of him, wrapped his arm a bit closer around Eddie’s middle and answered, “You’re welcome, love,” before breathing out and relaxing against his chest again.

**Dan’s drooling all over you.**

“Jup,” Eddie mumbled, already half asleep, “I don’t mind. You should know.”

Venom licked his stubbly cheek and curled in the gap between Eddie’s shoulder and neck. Right when Eddie was sure, he’d fall asleep, Dan jerked up, almost falling out of the bed. “Eddie!”

Venom immediately grabbed him by an arm to pull him back, before he’d fall. Eddie sat up, just as scared. “God, Dan! Are you okay?”

Dan stared at both of them in a silly way. Then he sighted and shook his head. 

“No… yeah, I mean… I just had some really bad dreams, about you being shot and… I’m sorry, did I wake you up?” 

Eddie looked at him, before silently pulling him into a weird hug. “Dan, I’m sorry I scared you like that. But I’m fine, okay? Venom was able to heal me, even my leg! And that was only possible because you led him the way.”

He got a bit of distance between them, when he saw Dan’s eyes were full of tears already. He sniffed, trying to turn away in embarrassment. 

“Dan… hey… it’s okay, can I do something? Do- should I hug you a bit more?”

Instead of answering, Dan shoved up the short legs of his trousers to make sure, that Eddie’s leg was really as good as new. He hesitated and then nodded.

“A hug would be nice…” He sobbed, before clinging to him again. Eddie held him and rubbed his back.

He really felt bad for making him feel so miserable. Eddie was already somehow used to all the shit that came with being Venom. But Dan was not. He was a normal guy, of course he wouldn’t take all of this lightly. 

**“Thank you Dan, for helping us.”** Venom wrapped himself around Dan’s shoulder, expanding like a blanket. Instead of jerking up or trying to get away, Dan relaxed even more.

“That’s nice… thank you,” Dan sobbed quietly. He lifted one hands that had been around Eddie’s torso to the black mass and rubbed over it. They waited until Dan was more relaxed, before deciding to get up. Neither of them was able to sleep anymore.

Eddie made Dan sit down on the armchair, before checking his fridge. They didn’t have a lot food usually, but Dan had bought a lot of groceries and filled the kitchen. While cooking, Eddie thought about moving. “It’s a wonder, they didn’t send a team of cleaners yet. But I think we can use that. They seem to be very new to this business, maybe they’re just idiots, too.

But I know a few journalists that owe me a favour, I’ll have them write about how a neighbour found me dead in the door, they called the cops and without any big show, they rented the apartment to someone else already..”

“To someone else?” Dan asked confused, while wrapping himself in a blanket. 

“To you. If anyone knocks, you can open the door and tell them how your ex threw you out and this was the first best flat you could afford.”

Dan didn’t look really convinced, but he nodded, watching as Eddie and Venom prepared their very early breakfast. Venom cracked some eggs into a bowl, while Eddie cut paprika into tiny dices. Then he opened a can of sweet corn and kidney beans, before washing them and throwing them into the bowl along with the paprika. Venom mixed everything, while Eddie began to heat the pan. Behind his back, Venom reached for the freezer.

“Tater tots?”  **“Tater tots.”** Venom answered while opening the freezer to grab two bags. “Oh come on, two are too much.”

**“But we’re hungry! And we want to share with Dan?”**

“We can share one bag as well.” At that, Venom growled, dangerously, predatory.

“Fine, get two. Just really remember sharing when they’re done.”

He didn’t see Dan smile foolishly behind his back, while watching them. But Venom immediately told him. Eddie almost dropped the can with milk, he was pouring into the egg-vegetable mix. Only a bit, so the omelett would be really fluffy and light.

While Eddie poured the egg-vegetable mix into a heated pan, Venom put the tater tots in the oven while getting a box from the top shelve.  **“Coffee or tea?”** He asked Dan. “Uh, coffee please. I drink it without sugar or milk.”

**“As dark as our soul.”** “He didn’t order milk, y’know,” Eddie commented with a grin and stirred the omelette in the pan. Venom growled while preparing a cup of tea and a cup of coffee. 

They enjoyed their breakfast made of vegetable omelette and half-burnt tater tots, while watching the morning news. Dan still seemed to be more nervous than he had ever seen him before. 

“You should try to get some more sleep,” Eddie suggested, but Dan shook his head. “No… I think, we should talk. About last night. And about ou- about the future,” Dan corrected himself quickly. Eddie almost didn’t notice, if Dan wouldn’t blush so furiously. 

He opened his mouth, only to close it again, rethink his words. He was carefully choosing them, as if he was scared to ruin anything, if he chose the wrong ones.

“Dan?” “Sorry, it’s just… hard, you know?” Dan changed position on the couch, so he was directly looking at him, but also more distance between them, fidgeted with his hands. Eddie reached for them, took them in his and rubbed the back of Dan’s hands with his thumb. He didn’t break eye contact, instead smiled. “You can tell me anything.”

Dan seemed to relax, then nodded. 

“I… I still can’t believe how kind you are. I mean… literally noone would accept the new friend of their ex or even befriend him? But… there’s something I didn’t tell you… I said, I liked your work, but… that’s not the whole truth.” Dan couldn’t keep the eye contact anymore.

“I’ve had a crush on you as long as I can remember. Even before knowing you. I never told anyone, but you’ve always been my celebrity crush. And it was fun and all, until Anne and I made that list…”

“What list?” Eddie asked curiously. “You know… that list, where you pick 3 celebrities that don’t count as cheating…”

Eddie gasped. “You mean, I’m on that list? Dan, I’m honored!”

“Y-you’re actually… on first place… b-but Anne didn’t tell me, she knew you then. And suddenly you were standing in front of the house, and I think, I freaked out a bit. And Anne made fun of me, I should go for it, and whatnot… that’s probably super weird to you, I’m sorry for telling you, I just…”

Eddie didn’t know what to say. He stared at him like an idiot. **Say anything, he probably feels like an idiot too!**

“T-the first, huh? I’m really honored. Don’t get me wrong, I’m just surprised… B-because you’re really a great guy and”  **A great guy? Really? That supposed to make him feel better?**

Dan looked like a puppy someone left on the streets in the rain. He wanted to pull his hands away from Eddie, but he just held them a bit fiercer, staring at them. “I’m sorry, I’m so incredibly stupid in situations like this… No, actually I… I have never been in a situation where my crush tells me, he’s got a crush on me? Even with Anne, she didn’t like me at first, I just begged her for a date until she was so annoyed, that she agreed…” He took a deep breath and looked up at Dan.

“I really feel so honored and happy, that you say this, but... “ Eddie hesitated, “I’m really not the best boyfriend in the world… I’m a mess and I’m worried, that I’ll ruin our friendship in any way…”

“Are you kidding me? Eddie… I know that you’re a mess. You’re chaotic, reckless and sometimes you’re an idiot. Venom is no exception. But you’re also passionate, you have such a strong sense of justice, you fight for what you believe is right. And almost losing you today showed me, how much I really care beyond that childish celebrity crush. W-would you and Venom please give me a chance?”

Eddie couldn’t help but feel nervous. The dark voice in his head that was not Venom told him, he’d fuck up. He’d hurt Dan or get him killed even. He was not able to make him happy… But a poke from the other dark voice in his head that was Venom, he nodded.

“Yes… yes, that would make us really happy… I’m sorry, I’m really not good at this…” Dan shook his head and leaned forward to pull him into a tight hug. Eddie carefully rubbed his back, while Venom spread over the soft skin of their... uh… boyfriend?  **That’s exactly what he is, dumbass.**

Eddie smiled and remembered something. He jerked up into a standing position, surprising both, the surgeon and the symbiote.

“Oh shit! What about Anne? Fuck, she’s so going to kill me…”

Dan was so happy, when Eddie agreed, he almost couldn’t believe it! Where they… boyfriends now? Did Eddie even want to give them a label? Make it official? There was so much he needed to ask.

“Anne knows it,” Dan answered, but he noticed, that Eddie didn’t pay much attention in his sudden panic., “God she’s never gonna forgive me!”

“Eddie, calm down!” Dan sighted and got up to pull at his shoulders to force him to look at him. “Look at me. Anne knows. We both agreed on breaking up, after she knew how I felt for you. She’s neither mad at me nor you!”

Eddie looked like he couldn’t believe what he heard. “W-what? She… she’s okay with it?” Dan nodded. “Yeah, totally okay.” “Oh… thank god… or Anne, I guess…” **Isn’t it the same?**

He looked back at Dan and smiled shily. “Sorry…”

“No need to worry,” He said and smiled at him. It felt like he was growing butterflies in his stomach with every second he realised, this was really happening. Eddie seemed to feel equal. “I still can’t believe you actually like me…” The journalist said.

They stood there in awkward silence, before Eddie’s phone rang. He looked at the caller and hesitated. He didn’t recognise the number. While this was not unnormal, especially in leads and his sources… he had to remember, that he was officially dead.

The number disappeared and suddenly he got a text. “Huh? Is hy writing cryptics? Is this a code?” Dan asked, looking at the phone as well. “Uh no, Sam is from Poland… the text says ‘I know it can’t be true. Please reach out for me, you know where to find me.’ Smart boy, he doesn’t give any details, if anyone got my phone and is able to read this.” Dan didn’t even have time to wonder, where in the world Eddie had learned to speak Polish, before Venom made his appearance. He grew out of his shoulder, like Dan had seen him do so many times now, while Eddie was busy on his phone.

Eddie opened his email app and logged in into one of his security accounts that was not trackable. He sent a short text to an equally cryptic email address that consisted of a mix of numbers and letters just like his own security address. Every spam program would catch them before anyone would see them, except you were expecting them.

“What does that say?” Dan asked, looking at the foreign language.

_ > You’re right, but it’s likely that my phone activity is being tracked. Thank you for your protocoll, it helped me a lot already. If there’s anything else you need, always let me know, but you should stay hidden until I got them. No need to dig further. K.R.V. < _

“K-R-V?” Dan asked. “Kind regards, Venom,” Eddie answered shily, “Sam actually knows… he’s the one who deleted a lot of footage, where people were able to see me transforming.”

“So… were you able to dig further while I was passed out?”

Eddie hesitated. It was likely he didn’t want to get Dan more involved, but on the other hand… he already was.

“Yes, actually I believe my last big gig was more than a coincidence…” “With Kasady?” “Yes, I believe there is a connection between him and the Life Foundation… and whoever is responsible believes, I got too close to the core.”

Dan grew pale, “You think, they didn’t only experimented on homeless, but also on dangerous criminals?”

Eddie nodded. 

“Whatever they tested… I think Kasady knows more about it. And now they are scared he gave me any information… Maybe I should ask for another interview… He already gave me pieces of the puzzle… I’m sure he wants me to solve it. He wants the game, the attention.”

“Makes sense, If he’d just tell you, it would be boring considering he’s sitting in a single cell all day long with noone to talk to… But you can’t apply for an interview, you’re dead,” Dan said. 

Eddie and Venom looked at the surgeon. “Fu **ck.** ” Dan looked at them, when Venom suddenly had an idea..

**“Then we have to break in!”** A very bad idea.

Eddie looked at the symbiote in shock. “Are you serious??” He said and Dan was relieved, that at least one of them had common sense, when Eddie continued. “That’s just genius! We’re going undercover and then we don’t have to deal with the paperwork of the application and insurance and-” 

“I can’t believe it,” Dan sighted. If anyone would ever doubt, those two guys shared one brain cell, Dan knew better.

“You can’t break in that prison! What if you get caught? Or worse! What if one of them is able to break out because of you?”

“But we need to talk to Kasady!”

“What if you trigger the alarm?”

Eddie and Venom turned to look at him.

“Venom could die. You’d be exposed.”

“Fuck… you’re right… I’m going to text Sam, maybe he can tell me more about the structure of the building, so-”

Eddie lifted his phone to send another mail, but suddenly stopped in his tracks. Whatever there was on his screen made him pause. At the same moment, his own phone began vibrating like crazy. The emergency alarm app for their region was lighting up with the headliner.

**_> Cletus Kasady free. Serial killer on the run.<_ **


	8. Chapter 8

A week had passed and the world was still not ending. 

No matter how every newspaper and journalist expected the shit to hit the fan, Kasady had vanished without a trace. No carnage, no dead bodies everywhere, no trails of blood on the streets.

Eddie should be happy… but instead he was restless. He was literally trapped in the flat, while Dan was following his usual work schedule again. In the dark web he had seen some security footage of the escape… He hadn’t seen any trace of symbiotic activity, but something about the way the criminal moved was weird. He had killed four other serial killers that had been imprisoned with him, before moving through the prison, leaving seven guards dead. 

How he had been able to escape was not clear, the part was missing on the video. 

**You’ll get a headache, if you stay in this position.**

“It helps me calm down.”

**We could help you calm down.**

“Stop fondling my ass right now or I’ll cut your chocolate supply.”

**Someone’s in a mood today. Should we call a doctor?**

“Stop bothering Dan, he’s at work.”

He sighted and closed his eyes. The position was way too comfortable. He was lying on his back on the couch, head hanging down, while his legs rested on the backrest, up in the air. The symbiote was floating somewhere above him, poking his side, arms and legs from time to time to get his attention.

“What?”

**We worry about you. Your medication is empty and we can’t leave the flat to get it. You have to tell Dan.**

“I will definitely not tell Dan. I’ll be fine, okay?”

**Why not? You don’t trust him?** “Don't be stupid, you know I do!” Eddie said, louder and more annoyed than intended. He felt the hesitation from the symbiote and his features went soft again. “I’m sorry… come here, let me hug you,” He said in a soft, apologetic voice. He held Venom close and kissed his head.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to get angry… I’m just…”  **We understand. We know you… but Dan doesn’t. Not like this. You have to tell him.**

The symbiote rubbed his tendrils around Eddie’s neck, knowing all the sensitive and nice spots naturally. He could feel the distress from his host, the worry, the fear. It spread across his chest in a hug, without taking the mass from his arms. He knew, Eddie needed something to hug. Sometimes he’d just hug a pillow, but the black, warm body comforted him more.

**Dan won’t leave you… He loves you.**

“But what if he doesn’t understand?”

**He’s a doctor! If anyone understands than him!**

“He’s a surgeon, he understands saving lives, cutting people open to remove tumors and fix bones and whatever he does, I don’t know. He’s not a psychiatrist.”

Venom was frustrated. He already knew how hard it was talking to Eddie, when he was like this. His brain was no longer producing enough good chemicals. Instead his body produced way too much stress-hormones, leading to restlessness, which resulted in tiredness. It wouldn’t take long until Eddie would be so exhausted and tired, the way his body seemed to think he was in a live-threatening situation 24/7, he wouldn’t find the motivation to even get up in the morning. 

Additionally he was not allowed to just go on a walk, get some sun or fresh air, that would maybe help reduce the speed of the disease. Venom tried to think of any solution, when he remembered a test from the labs. He spread over Eddie’s shoulders.

Unnoticed by his host, who just held him close and stared against the ceiling with an empty mind, he watched his own skin change color, slowly blending in with its surroundings. The effect only lasted a few seconds, before it broke off again, as soon as he stopped concentrating on it. 

Venom tried again, this time concentrating more on it. If he’d be able to make Eddie blend in with his surroundings, maybe they could go on a walk, get them the meds they needed. But Eddie wouldn’t be okay with stealing, he knew it.

Basically they wouldn’t be invisible. He’d be changing colours constantly to blend in, so… maybe he was able to…

**Do you trust us?**

Eddie looked up, tiredly as if he had been just about to pass out again. “Of course?”

**We need to test something. Therefore we need to cover your face.**

“Okay? You always do that, if you cover me… why ask?”

**We didn’t want to make you uneasy…**

“Oh come on, I’m not that sensitive,” Eddie sighted annoyed. 

Venom decided not to comment on his mood again, instead spread over his chest, neck and face, until everything above his shoulders was covered. He moved and wiggled, changed colour, until…

**Eddie, get up, we need you to look into the mirror!**

His host sighted again, slowly falling to the side, to get up from his position. Then he moved to the bathroom, not even bothering lifting his feet more than absolutely necessary. 

“What the??” Eddie lifted his hands, touching the symbiotes mass over his face. In the mirror was a totally different person. 

He looked only slightly ticker, due to the extra mass. It was still Eddie’s own eyes, the symbiote was lying on his skin like a weird latex mask. Except it was actually moving along with his face, creating almost-human emotions on his face.

“You… why…?”

**We can go out undercover like that! No longer stuck in the flat.**

“And how long can you keep that up? It’s actually amazing! If you don’t look too close…” He dug his fingers in his now-chubby cheeks and felt a pang of amusement. “Are we ticklish, Mr. Symbiote?”

**No, but you are**

Venom’s tendrils crawled over Eddie’s skin, detaching the part from Eddie’s nerve-system, no longer pretending to be part of his body, so he was able to tickle his host. Eddie almost fell on the wet tiles of the bathroom, laughing and twitching away from the teasing touch.

**We should open the window while we’re gone. It’s still moist from Dan showering in the morning.**

“Yeah, you’re right. Just let me get my notebook and a pen, so we can go to-”

**No! Not going to investigate today. We’re going out. Having a walk through the park, go get those meds and then we’ll go get the chocolate cake you promised us last week!**

“V… we have to find out who tried to kill me. And what happened to Kasady! I don’t care about the meds or the park.”

**But we do.**

The second face disappeared from Eddie’s skin, sinking back into his own.

**We can go investigate tomorrow. But we will not support you going out now without getting meds or some fresh air. You need to take care of yourself. Everything else is just selfish. You’re hurting us and you’re hurting Dan.**

Eddie went silent at that, staring into the mirror in his own empty eyes. In that face he hated so much. He couldn't stand the sight, so he turned away. Without another word he moved into the bedroom, closed the curtains and dropped on the bed, covering his head with the blanket. 

**Eddie? Eddie…**

He almost didn’t hear the symbiotes voice over all the other voices in his head. It was way too loud, his head felt like exploding. He felt like not being able to breathe anymore. Everything was just too much. And suddenly… nothing at all.

Eddie opened his eyes. The tiny sparkles of dizziness were gone, the voices, the feeling of being hugged way too tight. The weight on his shoulders. Instead there was only a soft purr next to his face, as the symbiote nuzzled himself against his cheek and carefully licked it.

Slowly the uncomfortable feeling in his stomach disappeared and his pulse calmed down. He could breathe again. He closed his eyes again, concentrating on the sensation as the warm, wet tongue licked over his cheek, the feeling of paws kneading his shoulders.

“You don’t have to act like Mr. Belvedere… you know that cat hates me…”

**Still it always took care of you, when you had a panic attack like that. And its presence always managed to calm you down.**

The symbiote lifted and pushed against his back, feeling like a cat that jumped on him, tip-toeing on his back and shoulders, before finding a comfortable spot to curl on to. Now even the last tension was vanishing from his muscles. 

“Thank you…” He mumbled. Venom paw-massaged his back and then jumped on top of Eddie’s head and licked his cheek again.

**We should go on a walk…**

Eddie sighted, before lifting his hand. Venom wrapped around it imitating the motion to pull him up. “I’ll just quickly message Dan, if it’s okay to wear his clothes.”  **Why?** Dan had already answered with a nice agreement before Venom had even the chance to ask.

“Because I haven’t bought new stuff in about 2 years… I don’t want people to recognise my only pair of shoes or one of my jackets.”

**True. You should really get some new clothes, they’re old.**

“Hey, but I love them! Like this hoodie! Remember how you made me sweat through the whole fabric on the first day we met?”

**Not our fault, your body was such a drama queen. ‘Hey we have the chance to merge with a higher life form, let’s overheat and almost kill ourselves’ Nice one, body.**

“Stop talking to my body like this or it’ll develop a craving for salad and vegetables.”

**Nooo, dear body, please don’t!**

“Right, my body is home and shelter for you. Treat it with respect, love and care, then it will respect you as well! Now let’s get some chocolate cake.”

The symbiote chuckled in the back of his mind, and took one of Dan’s rare nerd t-shirts. He almost only owned business clothes, so Eddie had been really surprised to find a collection of superhero fan-shirts and band shirts when they had unpacked his belongings. Sometimes Dan slept in them, but most of the time he wore his pyjama. 

Venom had been absolutely right. The fresh air was helping him to clear his mind. They bought a few groceries and the huge chocolate cake for later. Then Eddie decided he wanted to go to his favourite bookshop taking the long way through the park. He ended up not buying any new books, but a few newspapers and then got himself some ice-cream at the shop around the corner. On their way home, he was actually able to stop at a pharmacy. The meds he needed were not in store but they would restock in about two weeks.

**Well shit. But we’ll manage until then, right?**

“Probably,” Eddie said into his phone, “Probably depends on the situation. But you’re with me… and Dan’s there too. I’ve been through worse.”

**We still think you should tell him.**

Eddie shook his head. “Nah, no need to make him worry.” Not even Anne knew. There was no need. 

They sat down on the bench in the park on their way back and Eddie carefully put down the bags with grocery and the box with the cake next to him. They watched a few ducks being fed by an old granny.

“I can’t keep sitting everything out. That’s the biggest problem. V, don’t you understand? People tried to kill me. Two times within a week. All the information Drake had collected got seized by the government. They know how to harm you. They know I couldn’t be killed by guns when I was with you, still both times they attacked us with them. 

They actually believed the testimony that you died. We’ve been good enough at hiding, even tho they followed me at least for a month or two after the explosion. So who would be interested in killing me? Our only connection is Kasady.”

**Your mind is circling around the same bits of information for days now.**

“Yes, because I can’t investigate anything more from the couch. We did everything we can, now we have to get out there... “

**You are right. And we will.**

“Really?”

**You taught us to make compromises. You will let Dan check on you one last time. He’ll have to give his okay and then we will go out there together!**

“... you just want me to tell him about…”

**No. You made your point, we won’t force you unless you’re ready.**

Eddie sighted. He knew, Dan wouldn’t be too comfortable with the idea. But it was unfair to just go out without telling him. 

“Okay, let’s go home… We’ll make dinner for him tonight for taking such good care of us.”

When he got up with the groceries, he saw a black SUV driving by. It was not an unusual sight. There was nothing unusual or weird about it. It passed and turned right, driving out of sight. 

**Eddie? Is everything okay?**

It was not. Suddenly everything made sense. “Fuck,” He cursed under his breath. He could feel his whole body shivering. “Get us home. Now.”

He didn’t have the strength to walk, too many thoughts ran through his mind. It all made sense now. As soon as they were home, he grabbed the next pen and notebook and started to make notes.

By the time Dan came home, he was sitting on the floor, surrounded by paper notes, still scribbling down notes.

“God, Eddie, what happened here?”

“Hey Dan. Can’t talk,” Eddie said without even looking up. Dan frowned, hanging his jacket up and putting his stuff from work away. “Venom, can you tell me what’s happening?” He asked while carefully moving over the spread paper sheets. He greeted his other partner rubbing his head over his head. The symbiote was cooking dinner, stretched through the flat to the small kitchen corner. 

**“Has a lot he has to get out of his system. He’s been sitting there for two hours now, so we started dinner by ourselves. He suggested we make a good dinner for you to thank you for all your help and effort the last few days.”**

“Oh, so sweet! That wasn’t necessary, you know I enjoy taking care of the people I love.”

Venom rose to eye level and licked his cheek with the tip of his tongue.  **“Now check the fridge, we also got dessert for all of us!”**

Curious Dan did as Venom asked. “Woah?? Is that the cake you’ve been talking about all the time? Wait- there’s half of it missing…”

**“We got hungry and Eddie wouldn’t talk more than five words.”**

“Need to concentrate,” Eddie said absently. He probably didn’t even listen, only reacted to hearing his name automatically. Dan looked at his boyfriend and frowned even deeper. He had heard stories from Eddie being so caught up in a story and his research, he had forgotten to eat or hadn’t slept in days until Anne had forced him out of his tunnel. Still it was kind of interesting to watch. The scientist in him got really curious on what was happening in Eddie’s brain right now. Chemically. Maybe he’d be able to ask Venom about it later, but the symbiote seemed to be slightly annoyed by his hosts behaviour. 

“Let me help you with the cooking! What’s for dinner today?” 

“ **No! You get to rest today. Eddie originally planned on making a good dinner with wine and then maybe getting you to kiss or cuddle tonight! So now go shower and wash your workday off, you look tired! A shower will refresh you and we will finish dinner and get Eddie back from whichever mind-hole he fell into.”**

Dan smiled and kissed the tip of Venoms head fondly. He had gotten used to the weird touch feeling the skin provided. Gooey, rubbery but not slimey. It was actually really nice if you knew what to expect. He shot a last concerned look at the maniacally writing Eddie, who had just grabbed his probably third pen, after another had been out of ink. 

Then he decided that Venom could handle this too and went to take a quick shower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you might have noticed, I updated the chapter range. I don't think I'll be able to finish this in 10 and additional 5 chapters give me more space. If I'm honest I believe I could absolutely fill 20 or more with their developing relationship, but I don't want to be too slow burn...
> 
> This somehow feels like a filler chapter main story wise, but I also planned to concentrate more on their personal development.
> 
> As teasered in the tags and this chapter, Eddie's suffering from mental health issues... But also Dan is no stranger to the topic...  
> Want to find out what they're both dealing with? 
> 
> Feel free to give me your best guess or continue reading~


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie and Dan have a nice evening.  
> Eddie and Venom put together a few pieces of the puzzle but they still don't see the whole picture, do they?

Refreshed and less tired, Dan stepped right into an argument between Eddie and Venom. Like he had expected already.

"No, give me back the pen right now! No! Stop that, you're messing it all up. Stop that! Venom!!" Eddie sounded more desperate, more pleasing than he should. Usually he just got pissed at the symbiote for a minute or maybe two if the fight was bad. 

"Venom, please!" Eddie sobbed. Not a good sign. Alarmed Dan came in, where Eddie was sitting on the now tidy floor on the edge of tears. Venom had fixed all the paper on a neat stack next to the table that had been set up with plates and silverware already.

He was probably talking internally, so he only heard half of the conversation. Another thing he had to get used to, but he appreciated that Venom made the effort to always try to talk out loud if he was there, even if he was talking to Eddie only. Usually.

"Hey, don't fight you two! Eddie, you can go through all of it after dinner but you really should take a break for now," Dan said, surprised at how shocked Eddie looked at him. Did he look so stupid in his long pyjama pants and the Captain America shirt? Since Eddie was wearing one of Dan’s black Spider-Man shirt with the white spider symbol drawn across his chest, he had thought it was okay to stay more comfortable for the dinner.

"Dan?? You're home already?"

"Uhm," So not the shirt but his presence… "Yes… about an hour ago, you greeted me even…"

He helped Eddie up and hugged him. He was not surprised that Eddie held him longer and tighter than his usual greeting-hug.

"You two had been really productive today. Any new leads? If you want we can talk about it while eating, it might help you sort everything out?"

He saw Venom quickly shaking his head, as if the topic was reaaaaally bad, but he had already offered it.

"It's … no, it's okay. I have to go through my notes anyway and my hunch is… hopefully only a hunch and me being paranoid. Let's not spoil the evening… how about you sit down and I prepare dinner, Venom and I got you something special today!"

**"Dinner is already prepared"**

Judging by Eddie's look even that had been completely unnoticed. He really should ask Venom about this later...

For dinner they had bought really good steaks and prepared a mix of baby carrots and peas along with rice and a delicious white sauce. Venoms steak was raw still and he skipped the sides, but Dan couldn't complain about his. It was perfect. They ate in peace, talked about their days and ate what was left of the cake afterwards. Then Eddie and Dan cleaned the dishes before moving back on the couch to put on some movie. As Venom had promised they had bought a bottle of wine even. 

He smiled at them. "This is almost like a date night," He grinned. Eddie pulled his mouth in a pout. "Almost? You're hard to impressy Dr. Dan," He said and stopped Venom from drinking of the bottle. 

"Oh! I'm sorry, this  _ is  _ a date? Eddie! I loved everything, but you really don't need to impress me!" Dan laughed and took another sip of the wine. He felt content and warm, Eddie was leaning against his shoulder. Venom moved to sniff at the bottle of wine again, pushed away by Eddie’s naked food. “It’s enough if one of us drinks, V. Don’t give me alcohol poisoning…”

**“We’re just curious!”**

Eddie held his glas out for the symbiote who dipped the tip of his tongue in the beverage. To literally noones surprise, he draw it back instantly, his skin rippling in disgust. “Told ya,” Eddie laughed and pulled him on his lap to comfort him with a massage. Sometimes it surprised how naturally Eddie seemed to feel with the symbiote. He had adapted so fast to this weird alien situation, it made Dan wonder, if the two of them had been bonded by destiny from the start. 

Despite them arguing from time to time, they were in perfect synch most of the time. Sometimes he envied Venom… he wished he could understand Eddie in the same way… but if Eddie would let him, he might come just as close to their bond. He knew, Eddie was himself and comfortable around him, but just today he had noticed how little he actually knew the Everday-Eddie. He smiled, unconsciously pulling Eddie closer to lean his head against the soft brown hair with closed eyes. Today he had seen a completely different side of Eddie, which made him all more excited to know all of them.

Eddie looked up, smiling at how content and happy Dan looked, holding him like that. He still felt bad for not cooking and not even remembering when Dan came home.  **Don’t worry about it. He enjoyed the evening just the same. And we enjoyed cooking for both of you.**

He smiled, looking at the stack of paper. His head was still so full, but with Dan he was able to relax finally. He slightly turned to lean more against the surgeon and closed his eyes. 

"How about we go to bed now?" Dan asked quietly. Venom protested loudly in his mind, he wanted to see the end of the current episode, but Eddie told him to shut up. Venom could continue watching it over night, but Dan was right. They were both exhausted and sleeping on the couch was nonsense. Not when they had a cozy bed to share.

They got up and Dan took his hand. Suddenly, Eddie got all excited and he felt like his hand was way too sweaty. They had talked about their relationship a lot. And neither of them had wanted to rush things. Especially including the symbiote the relationship, they wanted to enjoy it to the fullest without rushing into anything head first. So over the last week they had been rather shy about the physical part of their relationship.

Venom was the only lucky one in the relationship, that was enjoying kisses from both of them, but so far they both somehow hadn’t brought up the courage to just do it. They kept to sharing a bed, but mostly kept to their side, holding hands under the covers with Venom sitting in the middle or letting his tendrils curl around their hands.

They got under the covers, already wearing their comfortable sleeping-clothes. They lay on their sides, looking into each others eyes. And Eddie felt like some stupid highschool nerd that didn’t know what to do rather than the experienced badass everyone took him for. 

“I’m really happy, y’know,” He mumbled and saw how Dan’s beautiful freckled skin blushed slightly. “I’m too… This still seems so… unreal, somehow.” “I know!” Eddie grinned stupidly, before looking down at their hands, noticing how nervous he was fidgeting with Dan’s fingers. 

The voices in his head that were not Venom told him, he was not good enough. He would only disappoint him, hurt him, maybe get him killed. That he didn’t deserve to feel this happy. That he was the reason, Dan and Anne were not happy together anymore. That he was the reason they broke up and that he had hurt Anne again. 

The voice in his head that was Venom told him to just shut up and enjoy the moment. Dan was here, he was happy and healthy. And he wouldn’t be here, if he didn’t want to stay. He decided to believe him, no matter how hard it was. 

“You’re doing it again,” Dan said suddenly, still a soft expression, but not smiling anymore. He looked thoughtful, maybe a bit worried.

“Doin what again?” “Overthinking,” Dan said, “I know you’ve got a lot in your head… and I am aware, this new thing between us is one of them… but I don’t want to make life more complicated for you. I want to make it easier… I’m not expecting anything, I’m happy with whatever you’re ready to share. We don’t have to do anything, unless we’re both comfortable.”

“Oh… Oh, no, that’s not what I’m worrying about… I know you wouldn’t rush things… it’s just…” He broke off and looked away. Dan stayed silent, not forcing him to talk, but not looking away either.  **Tell him.**

“Sometimes I wonder, if I really deserve this. I already did about our friendship. I couldn’t understand why someone like you would even want to talk to me. And now… I guess it’s all in my head, but it makes me insecure about every step. I don’t need you to tell me it’s different, because I’m aware. You don’t have a reason to lie to me in this. I guess, I just need some time.”

Dan nodded and then lifted his hands to carefully kiss his fingers. It tickled slightly, but it was nice.

“You don’t need to be insecure with me. If there’s something I don’t want or like. Or if anything is too much, I’ll tell you and I know you’d stop immediately. And I expect the same from you. I enjoy taking care of people and I enjoy spoiling them rotten, but there are people, who actually don’t want that,” He said, in a tone as if he was not talking about Eddie’s ex. He grinned like an idiot again. 

“Oh yeah… trying to be in charge with her is such a bad idea… I once ended up with a broken wrist…”

“You- what? … Don’t tell me the tie... “ Eddie laughed, then nodded. “Yeah, the tie... “

They giggled, before calming down again. “So you’re okay with bondage?” Dan asked. Eddie almost choked, on how serious Dan was asking. “Sorry, sorry, I’m! I swear, I’m a consent adult who can talk about sex, but can you not make that face while talking about sex?”

Dan grinned sheepishly at that, “Sorry, I’m just curious. I know Anne is into it and it was new for me, but I’m actually quite interested…” 

Eddie smiled, “Yeah, I remember… It’s honestly not a must-have in a relationship to me, but if done right, I really enjoy it,” He hesitated, but they were already talking about the most intime parts of their former relationships, “So… we’ve both been with this very dominant woman… of course it’s something else with a woman, but with a man…”

Dan understood. “I’ve got experience in both. I enjoyed being the dominant part, if you could call it that… but I also don’t mind switching. And you?” “I actually enjoy the passive part a bit more, but I’m also okay with switching,” Eddie grinned at the surprised, but somehow predatory sparkle in Dan’s eyes. “Really? I wouldn’t have guessed.” “Most wouldn’t”  **“We would.”**

Eddie rolled his eyes at the unasked comment of his pet-parasite  **WHAT?!** and sighted with a grin.

“So… you and Venom… you said you’re in a relationship… did you-” “Yes,” Eddie answered honestly. He was not ashamed of having sexi with his partner. Dan blushed, but didn’t actually look shocked or surprised. 

“Then you can surely whisper me some secrets what he likes and what he doesn’t, right Venom?” He grinned.

**“Sure, for enough chocolate, we tell you everything. But the first one’s free. He really likes to be kissed, because he can never tell the right moment to start himself.”**

“Corrupt little bastard,” Eddie chuckled. Instead of answering, Dan put one hand in the back of Eddie’s neck and the other around his side to pull him closer. Before Eddie could let out a surprised yelp, Dan had already closed his eyes and pressed his beautiful and soft lips against his own. 

Eddie immediately relaxed into the touch, carefully wrapping his arm around Dan’s middle. The kiss was innocent and soft, but he began to feel incredibly hot. Dan’s smell and his warmth was hypnotising. Dan slightly turned his head, just enough to press a little closer against him, while holding him in his arm, the long fingers playing in his hair. 

Way too soon he broke the kiss, smiling at Eddie, catching his breath. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment, then Eddie leaned forward, stealing another hot kiss, pulling Dan closer to his body. 

Slowly their kisses got more lazy, comfortable and soft. Dan kissed Eddies neck, jaw and hairline, before pulling him closer into a hug and pulling the covers up. 

“Maybe we should sleep now…” Dan said. They were both really exhausted from their day. Eddie nodded played with the short hair in Dan’s neck. He really felt good. He knew he could trust Dan with his soul. Maybe Venom was right… maybe he should talk to him about his disease too. But not today. 

They were lying like this for about an hour now. Dan was still holding him close, nose buried in Eddie’s hair, while Eddie’s forehead rested against Dan’s shoulder. But no matter how comfortable and cozy he felt, he just couldn't sleep. 

**You worry you could forget one of the threads you didn’t note yet. How about you talk to us? Your mind had been so full and loud, we couldn’t understand a thing.**

Eddie sighted, nestling closer against the warmth and felt Dan’s hand sliding under the shirt, up his back. 

_ It’s just a hunch and pretty wild, but… I actually think, that the killers had been sent by the government. _

**That’s really a wild hunch. Why do you think so?**

_ Just think about it. Drake had possibly experimented on dangerous prisoners. Who is in charge of them? The government. I’m sure they  _ knew  _ about the experiments. Not saying they knew of the homeless, but Drake couldn’t have used only homeless for the whole seven months. Even he was as smart as that. _

**He did seem pretty stupid to me. Being manipulated by Riot and all…**

_ Yeah… now let’s say, Drake actually had been given access to prisoners such as Cletus Kasady by the government. I have to do more research, but I’m sure there’s a peak in prisoner-suicides or accidents in those seven months. But Kasady didn’t die.  _

**Why would government allow those experiments?**

_ He had been sentenced to 11 lifetime consecutive terms in Ryker’s, they would have to carry the cost until forever. And since a psychopath like him would never choose to kill himself and they couldn’t hope he’d be killed in an accident with another prisoner because of the solitary confinement, they took the chance.  _

**To save money…?**

_ And maybe to lower the risk… A dead serial killer can’t break out for sure. No matter how safe Ryker’s claims to be, there had been breakouts in the past.  _

**But Kasady didn’t die.**

_ How would he have been able to survive it… _

**But we saw all the subjects… Those glass cages let us see everyone that bonded to the other symbiotes as well. Some had been brought away for experiments, but always with a host.**

_ I have a theory on that… but I’m not sure if that’s possible… _

**A theory?**

_ You told me that symbiotes didn’t need a partner to have a spawn… what if Drake somehow managed to activate this process… and used spawns. Or clones?  _

He could feel the symbiote grow heavy in his body. Venom not answering was a bad sign. There had been situations, where he saw one of his team mates spawn actually.

**We… we produce asexually. Especially in times of huge stress, it’s possible that we spawn unplanned. Out of our usual circle. We forgot, but… Drake didn’t understand our body physique at first. He tried to tear us apart, thought he could just divided us into two symbiotes. Which didn’t work of course.**

**But he was able to cut several pieces from us.**

**Those cells are no longer nourished, so they die within a few minutes.**

_ But if he’d been able to keep one alive.. Or if by accident he would have cut away a potential spawn instead of some cells… _

**Then he’d been able to bond this spawn with another person without our knowledge.**

_ How high are the chances…? _

**Not really high. But if it’s our spawn with Kasady… then it’s already corrupted by his sick mind. It never talked to another symbiote nor learned our ways. In this case… we can only kill it.**

Eddie’s heart broke at Venom’s cold tone.  _ But it’s your spawn… Venom, we can try and save it! _

**You don’t understand. We don’t have the same connection to our spawn as humans do. We don’t care for it. But it’s dangerous, especially being bonded with Kasady.**

_ But how was he able to get free? _

**Maybe Drake thought the sample had died. If it is actually a spawn and Kasady would’ve been it’s first host, then you wouldn’t be able to seperate them like us. They are not two different beings, but one. The spawn merged completely into Kasady and it’s possible, that neither of them noticed it at first.**

_ So thinking that the experiment hadn’t worked out, Drake sent Kasady back into prison… where he learned that there was something else in that crazy head suddenly. Something that was able to give him powers. _

**Something that was able to give him freedom.**

_ Why did he ask for me…? _

**It’s possible that our spawn recognised us… that Kasady only guessed that we’d still be with you after the explosion.**

_ Is… is the spawn able to tell him, if you’re still with us? _

**Yes.**

Eddie sighted into the crock of Dan’s neck and felt how the sleeping surgeon pulled him closer with a content relaxed noise. So they would have to fight another symbiote again… one that was not only potentially stronger than them. But with a host that didn’t have any other goals than to kill.

Eddie suddenly felt so utterly lost and scared. He didn’t want to fight like this again. He didn’t want to lose Venom or Dan… 

**Eddie.**

He had worked so hard to come back up only to be responsible to fight yet again…

**EDDIE.**

“Eddie.” He opened his eyes in shock, when he heard Venom and Dan call him the same time.

“You’re shivering, are you cold?”

**“Not cold. Scared.”**

“Venom,” Eddie hissed and shook his head, “I’m fine, I just… I had a bad dream…”

Venom growled in the back of his mind but didn’t try to push him further. “Oh no… do you want some hot milk with honey maybe? That always helps me sleep again.”

“No… thank you, but I’m really fine. I’m sorry I woke you up.” 

Dan carefully kissed his forehead and started rubbing his back again. “Don’t worry, I’m okay… I have the day off tomorrow, so we can sleep in, if you like.”

Eddie clung to Dan more, his face buried in the blue Captain America shirt. “I’d prefer to stay in bed all day with you,” He mumbled. 

To his surprise Dan had understood him, laughed softly and kissed the top of his head. 

“Sounds good too. But we have to eat. Especially with your partner.”

**“Your partner too, Dan!”**

Dan lifted his arm to include Venom to the tight hug. 

“Of course. Our partner.”


	10. Chapter 10

This had just been the worst idea.  **Your idea, not ours!** Which still didn’t chance the fact that it was the worst. Eddie couldn’t even look, his whole body tensing.

**You could just gave us full control. Relax. We know what we’re doing.**

_ We’re literally crawling on the ceiling of the hall. Let me be tense and scared!  _

**We’re just saying there is no reason to be scared. We’re invisible and safe up here. Now let’s get into position.**

They were crawling on the ceiling of the huge warehouse. Eddie wondered, why it was always a warehouse. A warehouse at the port. Of course. He sighed and tried to relax, so Venom could bring them safely to the spot. They arrived the spot where a small gap between a ceiling window and a wall made it possible for Venom to sit down.

“I believe the surgery is the best option for your son.”    
“But.. but how long would he be able to live without?” “About six months…”   
Dan never thought it was easy telling people, their loved ones were about to die. But he had to keep his professionalism. Being emotional would only make things worse.   
The mother fell into the father's arms, crying. The father just looked into his eyes.   
“But this surgery is risky. He could die!” “Of course..” “What are his chances?” “About 60 percent.”   
“And.. how long would he be able to live after the surgery?” 

Dan looked at the unconscious boy. “It depends on many factors, but… I think about three to five years at worst… at best he could become healthy and live his whole life. I don’t expect you to make the decision right away. I recommend you to think about it, please.”

“No. We want the surgery.” The woman said. “Mrs. Shan, please…” “What?” The Mr. Shan said, staring at his wife. “You can’t make the decision alone… he only has 60 % to survive? Better six months than dying today?”

“No… I don’t want him to slowly die. He’s constantly in pain, he can’t see his friends… that’s no life! What’s those six months worth to live like this?”

Dan left them alone to discuss it. They didn’t need him there, they knew the facts already.

About two hours later it was decided… and the surgery was planned for this evening. He knew that Eddie would be out investigating all night, so he didn’t write him a message. He didn’t want to risk bringing him in danger, even if he knew he had his phone on silent and Venom could read him messages, even if the phone was in his pockets. 

The surgery was tough and highly problematic… but in the end… he was not able to save the boy. The disease had been too far spread, even more than the scans had showed. He wouldn’t even have survived the week… He lost patients more often than he’d like to… and even if you’d never get used to it, he was trained to deal with those kinds of situations.

But he had treated this boy from his birth on. It hit him… hard. He was able to keep his posture exactly until he had told the parents. It was his duty. He let them cry, answered questions, then went back to the locker room. And there he broke down, fell on his as, pulled his knees against his body with the arms wrapped around his legs, head buried in between the gap. He made himself as small as possible. At this moment he wished he just wouldn’t be anymore… he had killed this boy. He had recommended this surgery. The boy had been unconscious, he hadn’t even had the chance to say goodbye. Only ten years…

Eddie almost fell asleep while waiting. He was used to this situation already, waiting for hours until something happened. But he was still weak from the latest injuries. But this time nothing was happening at all.  **You got a call… it’s Dan…**

_ He wouldn’t call if it wasn’t important… can you get us out? Nothing’s happening anyway. _

Venom wrapped around him, somehow pushing the phone right where he could talk inside of the mass, answering it.

“Hello? Is this Eddie Brock? I’m Dr. Blake… Uhm, Donald Blake, I’m a colleague of your friend. You’re his emergency contact.”

“Oh got, is everything alright? What happened? Is he hurt?”

“No! No… it’s hard to explain… he’s not feeling well, I think it would be really important that you come here as fast as possible.”

Venom got him to his motorbike around a corner and they hurried to the hospital.

When Eddie arrived at the hospital, Dr. Blake was already waiting for him. He was a tall, blonde guy. Were there only models hired as surgeons here? “Hey… You’re Dr. Blake I suppose?” He asked, holding out his hand.    
Just as Dan the first time, Blake ignored the hand, nodding. “Yeah, you can call me Donald. Sorry but… we’re usually trained not to shake hands,” He answered, “Kind of a habit thing…”

“Oh? So that’s why Dan doesn’t…”

They went inside together and Donald led him right into the staff-only-area. Was it really okay for him to be there?

He led him into what seemed to be the locker room. Inside he could already hear sobbs and sniffs. A few nurses sat down next to Dan, but he wouldn’t let himself be calmed down. “He’s got one heavy panic attack after the other…” Donald whispered.

“I know he trusts you most… He just lost a very young, but very ill boy. It wasn’t his fault… in no way at all…”

Eddie nodded and slowly got to Dan, knelt down in front of him. “Dan?... Hey, I’m here…”

He stretched his hand out for him, but a nurse held him by the shoulder and shook his head. It seemed Dan hadn’t reacted well to touch so far. He knew panic attacks like this, curling him on himself, blocking out everything but his own destructive thoughts.

And he knew how people managed to pull him out. 

He grabbed Dan by the arms and pulled him forward, strong enough, so he was pulled to sit on his knees, forcing him to come out of his protective position. Instead he wrapped his arms around him, right under Dan’s arms and held him close.   
“I’m here, Dan… I’m here, okay?”   
First Dan tried to pull away, struggled against him, whimpered and cried out loud. But then he accepted him, hugged him close and cried into the crock of Eddie’s neck.

“It was not your fault… it’s okay… you didn’t do anything wrong,” Eddie said in a low but steady voice. Dan sobbed and his whole body shook with his cries.

“I killed him…” The surgeon suddenly cried, surprising the nurses and Donald. “It was my fault… I told them to do it… I recommended it… I-”

“You didn’t make the choice,” Eddie said and looked up at Blake who nodded. “You gave them your professional opinion. You told them about the chances and gave them the possible options. I know you did… And they decided to take the risk… It’s horrible that he died, but What would have been without the surgery? Dan… he was sick already… you didn’t make him sick.”

He combed through Dan’s hair with his fingers, massaged his head, knowing it relaxed Dan a lot.

“It’s okay to hurt… and it makes you a great human, that you care… but you can’t let this block you from life. You can’t let this destroy you… nobody else would have been able to save him… you’re so brave, because you tried. But we can never save everyone, no matter how hard we try.”

Dan sobbed and slowly he calmed down. He was still shaking and crying, but now the exhaustion took over.

“It’s okay… I’m here for you… I’ll bring you home,” He said and pat his back. But Dan had already fallen asleep against his shoulder.

He smiled and continued to rub his back.

“Eddie, I’ll drive you two home, okay?” Blake offered and Eddie was glad to accept this offer.   
He lifted Dan bridestyle on his arms and smiled at the nurses surprise about his strength. 

Blake drove them home and helped him to open the door, when Eddie had carried Dan up his apartment. 

Eddie put him in bed and tucked him in.

“So… you and Dan?” Blake asked, after accepting his invitation to stay for a beer. “Yes… a few days only, so… uhm, did he tell you about-?”

“No, but I saw you only have one bedroom,” Blake laughed. “And I know how he’s talking about you… all nurses envy him for knowing ‘the Eddie Brock’.” He laughed.

“For real? Dan should have told me, I’d pick him up from work more often,” He laughed and looked at the door.

“Would you tell me more about that boy?”

“He’s been sick as a baby already… Dan had treated him from the beginning, I think, he got very attached to him… Not a mistake. he was really a great boy… so strong… a sunshine… But I saw his file, I was there with him to assist the surgery. 

All the tests had prognosted him a chance of 60 % to survive… without a surgery he would have died in about 6 months. But the tests were wrong. The situation had been so much worse. He wouldn’t have survived a month. There was no chance for a surgery… Dan really tried his best, but… he didn’t have a chance.” Blake sighted.

“He disappeared to the locker room right after talking to the parents… I left him alone for a while, but then I found him like you saw him… He wouldn’t let anyone touch him, only reacted with heavy panic attacks. I never saw him like this…”

Blake looked at the open door. They’d hear if Dan would wake up, so he wouldn’t be alone.

“I’m happy he has such a good partner…” He smiled and got up.

“Thanks for the help and the beer. But I’ll better get going. I’ll leave the car here if anyone complains. It’s only a few blocks and I can check on Dan in the morning.”

“Alright, don’t hesitate to ring up.”

They said goodbye and Eddie got a bottle of water from the kitchen.

**Will Dan be okay?**

“Yes… but he’ll probably need a bit of time and rest…”

**And lots of hugs?**

“Better wait until he wakes up… some people don’t want to be touched in such a fragile state…”

**But you touched him? Not gentle at all…**

“He was spiraling down into a really bad head space… sometimes you’ve got to pull people out from such… like waking them up from a bad dream… but don’t do that, okay Venom? It requires a lot of sensitivity.”

He put the water on the nightstand on Dan’s side and crawled below the blanket. He took his hand and slowly rubbed the back of his hand. He watched over him for a while, but then fell asleep. Venom promised to wake him up when Dan would wake up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello  
> As you might have noticed, I didn't manage to post a chapter last week... the last two weeks were crazy here...   
> I'm in quarantine and due to problems with my lungs, I'm also at risk... I've been granted the chance to work in Home-Office now, so I'm okay so far... but my health wasn't that great the last few days.
> 
> I hope you're all save and healthy! And I am sorry for not coming back with a bigger chapter.  
> I'm definitely not abandoning this fanfiction and I'm so happy for all of your comments! Thanks for keeping up with me!


	11. Not an update..

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, not an update.

Hello to everyone still following this fanfiction...  
I'm truly sorry that I didn't update it any further... but to be honest, I kind of got to a point where I played plot-ideas too early, too rushed...  
I'm very frustrated with how this original idea turned out in the end... going nowhere literally.

And I couldn't motivate me to continue it. I truly love the ship and I really missed writing it... but I felt kinda in a corner with this one...

I want to start a new one, still based on Dan and Eddie, post-canon timeline and most likely I will use my favourite HCs and ideas from this one as well...   
If you have any wishes, stuff you want to see happening between them, always feel free to send me a comment, I'm more than happy to read your thoughts about this pairing I love so much!


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